Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth
by Final Genesis
Summary: Set in Armada. The battle rages on as more Minicons are discovered by both the Autobots and the Decepticons. New factions and characters are added for each faction. Chapter 14 is submitted. With a little addition to some profanity & revisal. ON HIATUS.
1. The New Human & a Chance for Redemption

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The only characters I own are the ones that I made.

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 1: The New Human and a Chance for Redemption **

The lone JAL (Japan Airline) Jumbo Jet flew across the lonely night sky as it made its way to its destination. As it flew along, many of its passengers were sound asleep, obviously not disturbed since there was not a single sign of turbulence. Practically, almost all of the passengers were sleeping without a worry in the world. Except for one…

One girl was not getting much sleep. Practically because she pretty much disliked Economy Class sleeping arrangements on board, or the food was rather pathetic except the Okono-miyaki she made and ate for herself. But for whatever the reason, she couldn't sleep well, even despite the 'soothing' plane music playing within her headphones. She then looked out through the window to her left, and thought about the many things to come.

_This better not wind up to be another one of them trips gone wrong that Mum and Dad sent me to, _she groaned. _I hope this will be one holiday like no other, besides gaining a new school and all. _

Still annoyed, she then squeezed past the passenger next to her with a little difficulty, had a drink of water, and then went to the john. After relieving herself, she then returned to her seat, checked her time, and found it was 11:00 pm. Grabbing out her walkman, she placed in her Ayumi Hamasaki C.D in and set it on repeat on the track, 'A Song for XX". As she signed in relief of her voice in her ears, the girl then put on her blindfold, and then finally after a few minutes, she then plonked off to sleep, dreaming peacefully.

Little did she know, her wish was about to come true…

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The morning sun rose from the High Desert two days later as many residents then woke up inside their homes. The sounds of alarm clocks, showers, breakfast, radios and transport blared out in the morning light as parents had to go to work, while kids and teenagers went out for education, whether for school, work experience and even a few naughty kids wagging it occasionally.

At Rad's house, his mother checked the time, and sighed discreetly. It was 7:45 am, and the boy still hasn't woken up yet. Seeing that it was time, she then walked over to his bedroom and saw that he was sleeping peacefully of his lovely dream. _Sorry kiddo, _she sighed, _but education's more important than sleeping late._ She then poked Rad on both sides of his ribcage, therefore waking him up from his dream.

The boy then groaned, "Oh, mum, what do you want, I was having such a nice dream."

"Morning son, that was very nice of you, but look at the time." And the woman pointed at Rad's alarm clock. A minute later after she checked, it was exactly 7:46 am on his alarm, which he obviously forgot to set up. His face changed instantly from grogginess to a look of utter horror as he did a solution only an overslept seventh-grader would do.

You know what he did.

"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH! I'M GONNA BE FRIGGIN' LATE! MY HOUSE IS THREE BLOCKS AWAY FROM CARLOS'S HOUSE!"

And boy, did he hurry and ride fast, even in his messed up fashion. He didn't even have a single drop of shower water to wash him off with as he rode High Wire at top speed.

Luckily, he only made it just in time about 8:40 am when he rushed into class at the Linkon Middle School. He wasn't that early, yet he wasn't that late either. But still he then rushed into the classroom, where he met his four friends, Carlos, Alexis, Billy and Fred. A few other students were also there.

Carlos was the first to speak after arrival. "Whoa, amigo, you made quite an entrance. What did you do, drink so much Powerade to get here?"

"Very funny. I just managed to move my butt outta there when I figured out too late that I forgot to set the alarm. So what did I miss when you guys arrived?"

Billy replied in his classic tone, "What we were discussing was that it's been five days since the Decepti-creeps nicked the Star Sabre and the two mystery Minicons, and Scavenger's joined the team, so we need to work out a plan on how to get it back. Rather than letting anybody oversleep on the job! Except for Fred of course."

"Hey!"

"Calm down Billy, and give Rad a break," sighed Alexis as she then sat down, because the bell rang from class time. Within seconds, the classroom was filled in, and their teacher, Mrs Saxel, has entered.

"Good morning class. I assume you all had your projects completed by this morning on the Constellation in space, and I know you're all a bit tired after the many weeks. But first of all, I would like you to introduce you all to a new student who has just arrived from Japan two days ago, and I want you all to make her comfortable. So no hitting on the girls, Billy," And the boy nearly shrank back under his desk as nearly the whole class cacked up laughing except his friends. That's when Mrs Saxel called out to the door's direction, "You can come in now." and as the door opened, the figure then walked in.

The girl was about Carlos's height, thin build, and has her short, shoulder-length black hair clipped with a gold hairclip, and has brown eyes. She was wearing earrings that were in form of a jade katana on it, as with the broach on her breast pocket of her white, short-sleeved school shirt. She also wore dark blue skirt, white socks, and black school shoes. But something was rather familiar about her, to Rad, Carlos, and Alexis's eyes.

Her face seems oddly reminded them of the hologram girl back in the ruins. Despite the hair, no lipstick and eye colours, she looked somewhat familiar. There was a calm smile on her face as she then faced the class.

Mrs Saxel then started to say, "Class, allow me to introduce your new classmate to you. Her name is…" but the girl then gained a piece of chalk and started writing down the kanji of her name on the blackboard perfectly, as if she was studying calligraphy when she was a baby. When she was done, she then wrote her name down in English, which read, 'Tomoyo'.

"…Tomoyo," finished the teacher, who was amazed at her skill of calligraphy. "Everybody, please make her very comfortable to this place. Who shall show her around the place? Any volunteers?"

A few boys put their hands up. Alexis placed hers up as well, just in case they decided to hit on her. Mrs Saxel then answered, "Thank you, Alexis. Tomoyo, you can sit down next to Alexis on her right."

"Thank you." she calmly replied, as she then walked over to her spot, where a few boys' eyes followed her. The girl then sat down, and the teacher then commenced on the lesson as usual, and occasionally, during recess, Alexis showed Tomoyo around the school. Later in the cafeteria at lunchtime, the five children then sat down and discussed a plan.

"How about we get some sort of magnetic field to get the sword back?" asked Fred.

"Great idea doofus," glowered Billy sarcastically. "But how are meant to find a generator like that?"

"It's so obvious," added Alexis. "Unless we can think of getting it back, many more Minicons will fall into the Decepticons' grubby hands."

"Don't worry," replied Rad as he reached for his lunch. "I'm sure Fred gave it a good try," But when his hand went into the bag, he found nothing. "Oh no! I wish I remembered to pack my lunch in this morning."

"Don't look bummed out, man," smiled Carlos, "You can share some of mine." But the luck has changed when a hand then placed some cash in Rad's hand as the kids turned around. It was Tomoyo. She then said, "If you forgot your lunch, you can have some of my lunch money, but you probably don't expect me to give you some more after that. So then, can I sit next to you guys please?"

"Sure, why not," answered Alexis as the Japanese girl sat down next to her while Rad went off to buy lunch. "By the sounds of you I guess you wanted to know about the High Desert." When she sat down and started eating, there were many introductions first of all, and then some questions to be asked. "So what is Japan like?" asked Billy.

"Oh, it was quite good, even though it is a small continent and it's not really clean around there. But nevertheless, the food, economy, education, weather and the entertainment are quite good. So how's life in the High Desert?"

"Not too bad, amigo," replied Carlos when Rad returned. "It's just the usual around here sometimes, and all that. Have you also checked out the Cosmos Research Centre yet?"

"No, not yet," said Tomoyo, as she ate some salmon, tofu, and chicken teriyaki sushi. "Yet I heard it has a great reputation, hasn't it?"

Rad then answered, "It has. And Fred's dad works there, so if you can ask him politely, maybe he might give you a tour."

"That's right! If you're interested in computers and stuff!"

"I hope so. But probably if I have time on the weekend." and the girl smiled as she finished off her meal with her new found friends contently. To her point of view, it was nice having a group of friends to talk to even if she was away from her home overseas. For now, she was pleased with that fact.

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On the metallic planet Cybertron, in Cyber City, a lone jet-black Autobot warrior was reminiscing about the times while being involved in many wars. Sitting down on the rooftop of a giant skyscraper, he looked down, and thought for a while. It has been six years since his old friend has disappeared over the ravine while on a scouting mission. Ever since then, he was a bit of the grim type during those sixty years. So while he was meditating after that, another warrior, a blue, white, silver and red female, showed up.

"Been deep in thoughts as usual?"

"If you wanted to try to do something first, you could try to let me meditate in peace, Rana," he replied calmly as he then stood up. "I am not in a mood for much talking and stuff."

The female then shook her head in dismay. "So you haven't changed one bit have you? Funny. I always thought you as a fun type back then. But now, you weren't, yet your fighting style has very much improved greatly."

The black Autobot answered back, "I was never really that fun after these sixty stellar-cycles. I'm more of a serious, wiser warrior now. After the loss of Shatterbelt."

"Don't feel so hard on yourself, you're not the only one who endured these things. From what I've learnt from Big Daddy Optimus, you have to face your past head on if it turns ugly! Chances are, he might be still alive, or any other situation!" She then hugged him from behind.

"That might be the possibility. Or even worse, he might have turned over to the Decepticons."

"Then look to the bright side, I didn't go to you just to invite you to get drunk on some Energon cubes! As a matter of fact, I came to tell you that your chance of redemption has come!" smiled Rana after she let go of him.

"A redemption?" asked the warrior.

"Yep! I just got word from Lord Galaxus that you have to be sent to planet Earth as a recruit to Prime's squad, because apparently, they lost the Star Sabre to the Decepticons so a new warrior is needed. And also currently, two pieces of the Skyboom Shield has been found as well. That is the reason why your chance has come! Meet him in 12 mega-cycles!"

For a moment she could have sworn a smile started to come up on his face. Instead the Autobot male said, "For once, I approve of this very well, seeing that this is a good chance to join the front lines again. Tell them that I will come to the warpgate as soon as possible. And one more thing: If I don't write a letter or an E-mail for a month or so, you better come after me." And he then started to walk off to prepare for his departure.

"Yes sir!" replied Rana as she then saluted him.

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The black Autobot was already set up and fully prepared by the time he entered the warpgate launchpad. After many years, his desire to fight has once again surfaced. Lord Galaxus and many other warriors were waiting for him, and the wise Autobot elder then greeted him with the usual fashion. The arriving warrior then saluted him upon arrival.

"Now then, comrade," Galaxus commanded as he saluted back. "You know what your orders are. Your mission is to assist the Autobots into gaining the final member of the Race Minicon Team to prevent any chaos from happening. Upon arrival, we will send you to acquire an alternate form at a military base spotted nearby. At the time of arrival, much commandos will be on guard, making it challenging for you, which is why your training must pay off."

"But what if the Skyboom Shield is formed under Decepticon control by then?"

"Comrade, it is under Primus's belief that this shield shall fall into Autobot hands. The reason is it is because it was designed to block the Star Sabre as a perfect defence mechanism. There will also be the chance for a promotion if you're lucky, too."

But the Autobot shook his head. "Promotion or no promotion, I wish to say this aloud. It doesn't matter whether or not I wind up as a follower or a commander, Lord Galaxus, I just wanted to be treated as an equal to the Autobots."

A few seconds went by in silence. Then a smile came to the lord's face. "Well then. If that's how you wanted it, then that's how you're getting it. Oh yeah, you also got a visitor who wanted to wish you farewell."

They both turned around. Rana was leaning against a wall, with her arms crossed. She also has a smile across her face as she walked up to the soldier. "Just wanted to say go and get 'em out there. And also for you to remember our deal, O.K?"

"You've still got the optimistic charm, do you? Well meet me on Earth, if you can," He then turned to Galaxus for the last time. "Now, it is time, my Lord. I will come back alive, with my spark intact." And the warrior then started walking over to the warpgate as it then opened up. As many soldiers, Galaxus, and Rana saluted, he then leaped in, and disappeared off the face of Cybertron as he arrived in his new destination.

As Rana watched on, a thought came to her mind. _If you arrive safely, you better send me a reply. If you arrived but hadn't written a reply, I will go after you for this... _Then she said his name for the first time during the departure.

"…Wipeout."

_To be continued… _

Author's note: The beginning of my very first Transformers fic has commenced! Watch out for Chapter 2, coming soon, with the addition of some new character status! For those of you who didn't know much Japanese, this is what the following means:

**Okono-Miyaki** – A type of cabbage pancake topped with meat, fish flakes, seaweed, special sauce, and mayonnaise.

For now, take care!


	2. I am Sunstreaker

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The song, 'The World', belongs to the anime series, 'hack/SIGN', so it is not mine. The only characters I own are the ones that I made.

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 2: I am Sunstreaker **

At a Death Valley Military base, the men were on guard at night with many elite soldiers swarming around the place as usual. Not many of them got any sleep at night, as they worked and trained hard to prevent any terrorist strikes from happening around the world. Tonight, they thought it was just the usual around here, and so there wasn't going to be anything out of the usual. Or so the commanders thought…

About fifty miles off south to the base, what looked like a normal, rocky formation suddenly began moving without any noise, but not leaving behind any tracks either. It was a bit obvious that Wipeout was using a silencer/invisibility system gained during his stealth training back on Cybertron's top military academy, when the bulldozer Scavenger was there before proceeding with his spy mission. Crawling along in typical soldier style, he then stood up and started heading towards the back, with only twenty-five miles to go. When he reached about twenty miles to go, he instantly dropped down. Pulling out a pack that held a mortar-sniper cannon, he then started assembling it without fail. Then, loading a shell, he pumped the barrel, aimed carefully, and then fired.

Instead of the typical explosion that would have destroyed the base, in mid-air, a sleeping gas generator then activated itself as the shell popped open, and the gas then blanketed over the base, undetected. As planned, the entire headquarters began falling asleep, almost dropping like flies. No death was caused however, as that wasn't the only thing that happened in the base. The generator also contained a frequency disruptor, which made the radar and security system go wrong. Then silently, when it seemed like all was clear, the Autobot ran across the desert landscape straight to the base, having about an hour to acquire a vehicle mode until the men woke up.

The gas did not affect him, as Wipeout then entered the hanger area of the base without any signs of recharge. It managed to fit him very well as he entered inside, spotting the cache of army vehicles and ammunition inside that would have made Rana gush with excitement if she saw where he was now.

Columns of tanks were in sight of him. But to his point of view, tanks weren't his best choice. Jeeps were also in sight, but that wasn't suited to him either, even when he saw a few good mobile artillery vehicles, personal carriers, and missile loaders. His optics then switched to the air units.

F-16s, triplanes, joint strike fighters, bombers, transporters and cargo planes even didn't amaze him one very bit. So did the helicopters, as a matter-of-fact. But finally, one helicopter was in sight of his desire and choice, with no rejection in mind.

It was a sleek, stealth-type model that was created to be an advanced version of the Apache Longbow. It may not look like much, with the 20mm Cannon along with Internal and External Hellfire and Stinger Missile Systems. But it was powered with x2 LHTEC Turboshaft Engines, 1563shp each for the maximum speed of 328 km/h. With a few more weapons, armour, modifications or so, this RAH-66A Comanche Attack Helicopter will be upgraded to it's best yet.

At the sight of it, Wipeout then thought up of one word as he murmured, "Perfect," Then he proceeded to scanning the aircraft as a red light then emitted from his optics. Within nine seconds, the scanning process was completed, and many parts of Wipeout's body became that of a fully evolved Comanche as he departed the Death Valley Military Base.

Two seconds later, a futuristic Comanche helicopter flew to the night sky undetected, heading for the High Desert.

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"See you all later! Bye!"

That was Tomoyo's happy cry as she then departed from her second day of school. The happy feeling was still on her face as she departed at that time, her being glad she has some new friends since yesterday. But as she reached her BMX, a loner's look then appeared on her face. The mood from before relieved her of some harsh times, yet she still couldn't shake off that feeling of the past.

_Where are you now, Maron-neechan? _She thought, as she rode the bike along the road. _Ever since you departed from this world, would you be watching over from above, sister, to make sure nothing terrible happens to me? _

At this time, she was riding along in silence, while thinking of the times she spent with her sister. There were times that were very precious to her back then when she was five years old back then, when happy moments were spent with her. But now that Maron was gone, Tomoyo was partly no longer the happy-go-lucky girl she was once. She seems to have a side for joy, and a side of sadness as a result.

Her thoughts now dismissed, she then rode her BMX to the High Desert Caves to settle her time alone.

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With the start of training in mind, Hotshot walked along the corridors of the Autobot base, whistling with happiness. Ever since his victory over Sideways in the last battle, the yellow sports car Autobot was in a very happy mood. Even if the Star Sabre and the two Skyboom Shield Minicon Panels were in the hands of the Decepticons, that didn't hinder him one very bit. Around the corner, he then met up with a worried Smokescreen.

"Are you sure you can trust Scavenger, considering he just came back from the Decepticon base? You'll never know what he might do, being gone from Cybertron for a while."

"Aw, come on, Smokescreen, he wasn't really all that bad, and besides, I owe him big time for that tip of his that defeated that trick of Sideways's, you know."

The orange crane Autobot sighed, "Yeah, but he could be up to something, Hotshot, after what he's done. Even if he did give you advice, I still don't trust him."

"Lighten up, man," said Hotshot in his usual tone as he patted him on the back. "You'll get used to him soon." but no sooner he said that the Minicon Klaxon went off again, and the two Autobot warriors were off to the command centre. Upon arrival, they met three more Autobots, which is the military instructor, Scavenger, the medic, Red Alert, and last but not least, Optimus Prime, the Autobot Leader. The five kids, and the Street Action Minicon Team were also there as well, upon ready to hear the briefing.

"So where's the exact location of the new Minicon, Alexis?" asked Optimus as the girl began typing away.

"Let's see…" she replied, "According to the stats I'm typing up, the Minicon panel is located somewhere in… Gasp! I recognise this place! The same mountainous location when we first met you and the other Autobots!"

"So that's where it is, hmm?" asked Red Alert. "It's essential to find the Minicon before the Decepticons do, even if they have the Star Sabre and the two Skyboom Shield panels."

The Autobot Commander turned to the rest of the team. "Red Alert, Hotshot, Smokescreen and I will go out to the battlefield. Scavenger, you'll be staying here because now is not the time to show your allegiance yet. Leave it as a surprise, if you please. I believe an old student of yours will be joining us soon."

The bulldozer transformer smirked with delight as he saluted his leader. "Funny. So I see that the Decepticons would be rather suspicious by now. For now, I wish you good luck, sir."

"All right men, let's move out!"

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A calm wind blew at that mountain where High Wire was first found there. As all seemed still, the sound of footsteps and wheels grew closer as Tomoyo appeared over the ridge. Upon arrival, she was glad to have some time off by herself. A simple use of violin practice would probably relieve her of the many dark thoughts in her mind that afternoon. She then placed her BMX near a large boulder as the Japanese then walked past. But what she failed to notice was something near the wall that did not resemble any of rock formation seen here. As she did, an ominous green glow just started, but then stopped automatically when the girl turned around with a hint of suspicion on her face.

_Odd, _thought Tomoyo as she then turned around into her current direction. _I've could've sworn I saw that glow just now. _But that was gone from her mind as she headed towards the ledge where she wanted to practise. Finding a good spot, she then took out her violin, which used to belong to Maron, now given to her. Then Tomoyo began to play one of her favourites, which is 'The World', a song sung by the Japanese band, See-Saw, and composed by Yuki Kajiura.

The tune played nearly sounded as if a voice rang out from the mountains, or a canyon. As she played it, flowing in her mind, Tomoyo could hear the voice, as if it cried out for freedom. Yet she almost began singing it herself, with a look of sadness.

_You are here alone again  
In your sweet insanity  
All too calm, you hide yourself from reality  
Do you call it solitude? Do you call it liberty?  
When all the world turns away to leave you lonely_

_The fields are filled with desires  
All voices crying for freedom  
But all in vain they will fade away  
There's only you to answer you, forever_

_In blinded mind you are singing  
A glorious hallelujah  
The distant flutter of angels  
They're all too far, too far to reach for you_

_I am here alone again  
In my sweet serenity  
Hoping you will ever find me in any place  
I will call it solitude when all my songs fade in vain  
In my voice, far away to eternity_

_I will not be left alone again, _thought Tomoyo strongly. _Not after my sister has been taken away from me. Dear Lord, if a chance shall be given again, I wish for a companion, one that I will never lose in my life! _Upon thinking this, she then knelt down, and prayed. Upon completing that, she then sat down, with her legs crossed. At least her sadness did not return for a while yet. For a moment, she thought that she was alone.

(Not disturbing you, am I, miss?) asked a voice from out of nowhere, even though it sounded computer like.

"No, you're not…" began Tomoyo, as she then turned around, but her voice must have been left behind after seeing who 'spoke' to her. The 'who' that she was seeing, seems to resemble what looks like a feminine version of Sparkplug, but without her vehicle mode. She was about a human's height, and was lightly built. Gold, white and black streaks were on most of her metal body, with the tubed arms looking very much like arm cannons, while you can see her hands underneath them. Her blue optics almost looks similar to that of a female anime character's eyes, with the brightness in them, along with even having metallic, shoulder length hair. Finally, a calm smile appeared on her face.

A few seconds of silence passed by. Then a few words came out from the girl's mouth. "Who are you?"

A chuckle came from the Minicon's mouth as she then spoke next. (Funny that you should ask me. I was about to ask the very same question myself to you. Your name is…)

"M-My name's Tomoyo," she stammered. "But what are you? It's apparent that you're one of those robots, but not like on T.V."

(Think of me as a Minicon, Tomoyo. One of the five races of robots known to all as Transformers.)

"A Minicon? And what's a Transformer?"

The Minicon took a deep breath. (How should I say this? Are you sure you can believe all that I will tell you?) There was a nod from the girl as a sign of preparation. (First of all, the Transformers are a group of robots in the far cosmos of the galaxy, currently living on the metallic planet known as Cybertron. They are called that because of the ability to transform into one form besides their normal form. But not all Transformers are equal in many ways. There are currently two races that prefer truth, justice, freedom, and peace in the galaxy, while the other two were warlike, violent, and prefer the rule of the iron fist.)

"And the two from each races were?"

(The warriors of peace are the heroic Autobots and Maximals. While the Autobots take form of vehicles like on Earth, the Maximals turn into animals. Their rivals are the evil Decepticons and Predacons, which mainly take form of war vehicles and animals. They are mainly the sole rulers of conquest and destruction, and mainly they don't really like each other's ideas so a battle has continued waging on for many eons, while basically, they continued kicking their own butts time, and time again.)

The story was starting to get into Tomoyo's head very well as she listened more intently. "So then, when do you guys come in?"

(We then joined the battle, because we felt that us Minicons would bring peace to the galaxy. We are used as pawns for this battlefield, and are used to increase the strength of any faction we join. But while the Decepticons and Predacons treat us as nothing more than a speck, the Autobots and Maximals treat us well as equals, and although we are assigned to be workers, slavery was never in our programming.

But as time went on, sadly, we realized we were the cause of that pathetic war, and so, upon a truce, both warring factions agreed that a spacecraft will be constructed for us so we were never to be used again for years, having said goodbye to our friends. While we sailed through the stars, the ship became damaged, and part of it crash-landed onto the moon, the other on Planet Earth, many years ago, while we were scattered around Earth. After millions of years have passed, we have been reactivated. So that's how, I have found you here, when I was revived.)

It was then that Tomoyo remember that weird formation on the rock before. "So, what are we going to do now that I heard your story? There might be a chance that I could help you with your search, but the trouble is, I don't do electronics classes."

The Minicon then headed for Tomoyo's BMX. (I need an alternate mode first of all. Can I scan your bike please?)

"Well, sure." was the reply as the bot began scanning the bike. As she did, parts on her began to change slightly as her head spun. When it was done, the sequence was completed within ten seconds. Then, she transformed into what looked like a futuristic motocross motorcycle, complete with modifications, and even with storage space. With the new paint job, she was gleaming in the sun quite brightly.

That was when Tomoyo remembered something. "Hold on. I wasn't told of your name before. So what's your name?"

The motorcycle then began, (My name is…) but she didn't get the chance to say it because suddenly, the five Decepticons warped in onto the location, consisting of Megatron, Starscream, Cyclonus, Demolishor, and finally, Sideways. A wicked sneer appeared on the Decepticon leader's face.

"Well, isn't it that convenient. Not only we find an active Minicon, but also a human child along with it. This must be our lucky day."

Backing up, the Japanese girl then asked the Minicon in surprise, "I take it these are the Decepticons you're been telling me about?"

(No time to waste! Just jump on, and drive!) yelled the motorcycle as Tomoyo then hopped on. Then the two quickly revved off just in time before Megatron's fingers could get them, resulting in his usual barking of orders for pursuit, as the five then switched into vehicle mode. When they chased after them, Tomoyo's BMX was flattened in the process.

Riding down the canyon slope, the trail of dust grew larger as the duo made their way of escaping their pursuers. Behind them, many laser blasts flew in their direction, with most of them missing their mark. Tomoyo then checked the speedometer, and noticed they were going at 240km/h. "Can't you try to go any faster?" she practically shouted as she was then showered with dust caused by one of Starscream's laser blasts.

(I can't help it! This is my top speed so we must try to out manoeuvrer them anyway or the other! I'll try another trick, but cover your eyes while I do it!)

They were currently under the shade of the canyon wall when the Minicon decided to test her trick on one of their pursuers. As they rode out into the sun, Tomoyo did what she was told, as the rear-view mirror and a few gold streaks then reflected and flashed the sun's bright light in Starscream's cockpit, causing him to spin out of control and crash land on Cyclonus, who was flying too close to the wall. Then the two both fell onto the path.

Cursing the two henchmen, Megatron, Demolishor and Sideways continued on, while the others tried to catch up. After that Tomoyo and the Minicon continued riding on, but unfortunately, that's when Sideways decided to make his move.

(You think we lost them?) asked the Minicon, but that was nearly then worst of it.

"OH NO, WATCH OUT IN FRONT!" screamed Tomoyo, and as the two rode down the slope, the Motorcycle Decepticon automatically blocked their path. By then, it was too late to stop, as both Minicon and rider wound up taking a full somersault and crashed onto the ground on impact. Both of them winded, the little robot automatically transformed, and they found themselves trapped by a giant artillery tank and a futuristic tank, a futuristic jet and a helicopter, and finally, a purple motorcycle.

As all of the Decepticons transformed, Starscream growled, "I've must admit, you did give out a good chase. But there is no longer anywhere to run, so hand it over!"

"No," giggled Cyclonus insanely, "Let's blow up that human female first!"

A sigh came from Sideways next. "That isn't worth doing, so it's best to just obtain the Minicon."

Demolishor then added, "He's right, so let's get on with it!"

"ENOUGH WITH THE BICKERING YOU DICKS!" roared Megatron as the rest of them fell silent.

As Tomoyo groaned, a thought then popped out. _Ouch, my arm! How am I meant to get out of this one now? _When she looked up, Megatron was then heading over to the spot. "There's nowhere to run now, little girl." And with his left hand, he then reached over to the fallen Minicon. But then…

Suddenly, an incredible amount of explosive shots then rocked the cliff, causing Megatron to support onto the wall. But that didn't happen as the spot Megatron was standing on collapsed, with the leader's left leg becoming trapped inside the hole. The trouble for the Decepticons is that an unseen force attacked them, while a column of dust formed. When Tomoyo and the Minicon looked on the side, the air began to materialise, and a black futuristic Comanche helicopter appeared with its cockpit open. There was a look of surprise from the girl, when she discovered there was nobody piloting it.

"If you want to survive, get in. There's room for the both of you." the helicopter said in a calm masculine voice as the Minicon shakily stood up. At that moment, she then spotted a red Autobot Insignia on each side of the vehicle.

(Come on, we better move! He's on our side!) And the little robot helped her new friend onto the seat. When they were fully inside, the helicopter started lifting off the ground and flying to a safer space. But that's when Starscream grabbed him by the tail to prevent him from leaving.

"There's no way you're getting away from us with our prize!" he crowed. But another plan was cooked up in the Autobot's mind as his two lower legs rotated vertically to half the circumference, with the feet's twin machine guns on them, with a result of rapid firepower hitting the jet's face at full force, causing him to let go. Then the helicopter switched its cloaking field on, as he flew the two to a safer spot above, leaving Screamer behind with laser holes marked on his face as he whined with pain.

Once they were out of the Decepticons' way, he told them, "Find a spot to hide, and stay put until this battle's over. I'll be back." Then the Comanche flew back into the battle, and upon reaching it, a combined barrage of laser fire coming from the enemy force met him. Dodging them, his next move was made.

"TRANSFORM!" he roared, as his sequence then began. The guns on his feet became concealed as the black, white and red legs then underwent the transformation, with the tail rotor joining up with the tail. Then as the waist swivelled, the front part of the copter shifted forward a bit, revealing the torso, and suddenly split in half. The arms were then revealed, as the split vehicle's nose then released a 40mm laser Vulcan Cannon as it reached the warrior's right hand, while the split cockpit became the shoulder armour. The wings with the Hellfire missiles then joined up to the sides of the chest at the stomach region, and became a type of rocket/flight pack combo. The head was unlocked, and it oddly looked similar to an Air Force pilot's head only without the oxygen mask and in addition to two flattened antennae. His gold optics shone with the look for battle. Finally, the rotor blades where then ejected into some sort of a fan blade/shield weapon as it joined the left fist.

Megatron growled angrily at the sight of the new opponent. "For your interference, you must pay! Star Sabre!" And once again, Sonar, Jetstorm and Runway combined to form the legendary sword. As the robot engaged the rest of the Decepticons, the warlord then charged in with the sword, attempting to slice the new threat. But that was changed since he used Cyclonus as a shield and the helicopter Decepticon screamed in pain. Then he struck the warlord with a volley of laser shots from his Vulcan Cannon to his face, where he suffered the same fate as Starscream, and with a cracked optic.

Demolishor roared with rage as he powerlinked with Blackout and fired a barrage, causing the Autobot to deflect them back at him with his rotor shield, despite gaining a pathetic scratch on his left cheek. Next, Starscream tried to strike back with his wing sword, but missed as he accidentally hit Sideways on the chest, with the result of the motorcycle falling off a ledge and managing to grab a support without a second too soon. Then finally, the Autobot activated two curved wrist blades and sliced the seeker's sword into pieces.

For a moment, not one of the Decepticons moved after the onslaught of this battle. Then three words came out of the Autobot's mouth, as he calmly growled, "Now fuck off."

"RETREAT!" cried Megatron, as he and the rest of the Decepticon warriors warped back to base in the usual fashion. After departure, the Autobot placed his weapons away, and flew back to the hiding spot. As he arrived, he saw to his relief the two figures. "Are you two alright?"

Tomoyo looked up at her saviour's face. "Yes, we are, thanks to you."

"I am relieved that you are well despite your injuries," He then turned to the Minicon. "It's been a while, Sunstreaker. Are you okay as well?"

(Yep! If it wasn't for Tomoyo here, I would have turned corrupted.) she replied, and Tomoyo smiled as a result. "Sunstreaker - what a nice name to fit you for a Minicon. And I guess is sounds cool too!"

(Why thank you, Tomo-chan.) smiled the Minicon, just as the sound of rolling vehicles came in with a red semi-trailer, a medic SUV, a yellow sports car, and finally, an orange crane showing up, and the five children and three Minicons coming out. With a cry of 'TRANSFORM!' Optimus Prime, Red Alert, Hotshot and Smokescreen appeared in their place. The Comanche Transformer then looked towards the forces.

"I believe it has been a while. Don't worry, Tomoyo and Sunstreaker are safe and sound, right here."

A look of surprise came from Smokescreen. "Wipeout!"

"Wipeout?" asked the kids at the same time. Then they ran over to their friend, who was surprised to see them. "What are you doing here girl? Did you decide to go mountain climbing or something?" asked Carlos as he walked up.

"Very funny, Carlos. I wanted to try to spend some time by myself but I ran into this little Minicon there and gotten attacked by the Decepticons. Luckily, if it hasn't been for Wipeout, I would have been dead by now," She then introduced her Minicon partner. "And this is my new friend and Minicon partner, Sunstreaker. So, you know the Autobots, Decepticons and the Minicons?"

"Yep!" replied Rad. Alexis turned to the girl. "Oh yes, I haven't introduced the Autobots to you. Meet Smokescreen, Hotshot, Red Alert, and last but not least, Autobot Commander, Optimus Prime. And our Minicons, Highwire, Grindor and Sureshock."

The girl introduced herself as she politely bowed. "My name's Tomoyo, and I've been hearing many good things about you from Sunstreaker."

Even though of his faceplate, a smile formed from the Autobot Commander. "It's very nice to meet you, too, and Sunstreaker," He turned to Wipeout. "We have been expecting your arrival from Lord Galaxus, and I'm sure Scavenger would like to see you again."

"I stand ready for battle, sir," responded the new Autobot as he saluted Prime. "I apologise for the fight that just happened before, but I'm all set," Turning to Tomoyo, he added, "I'm pleased to have met you, Tomoyo."

"She is!" answered Billy and Fred at the same time.

"We're glad you can join the team, you three," smiled Red Alert, in addition to Hotshot saying, "You're still as cool as a cucumber as usual, Wipeout."

A smile formed on Tomoyo's face as she and a smiling Sunstreaker turned to each other, along with the welcome from the children. The Japanese girl has finally received her wish, and gained a new friend. Wipeout was also glad that he got the chance to return to the front lines. As a result, three new members have joined the heroic Autobots, as long as the Decepticons stayed out of the picture. But that was another story of Transformers Armada.

New human characters: Tomoyo

New Autobots: Wipeout

New Minicons: Sunstreaker

**Autobot Identification **

Name: WIPEOUT  
Faction: AUTOBOT  
Alternate Form: Cybertronian Comanche Helicopter  
Minicon Partner: TRAILBREAKER  
Function: All-Rounder Assault Commando  
Quote: "I hear your orders, loud and clear. Mission Accepted."

A cool and silent warrior born with a warrior's excellent abilities, WIPEOUT is created with a powerful combination of speed, determination, stealth, strength and defence. Disguised as a fully evolved Comanche Helicopter, he was able to take out many opponents, air, land and sea, practically no matter the terrain. For rumours, he became that warrior after the apparent 'death' of his former comrade, SHATTERBELT, during a retrieval mission. Ever since then, he hasn't fought in the front lines alongside the rest of the AUTOBOTS for sixty years, yet he still trained harder than ever. But now that the chance of redemption has come to him, will he be able to fight with his newfound skills, or will he take an agonising downfall?

Strength - 8.9  
Intelligence - 9.3  
Speed - 7.9  
Endurance - 9.0  
Rank - 9.0  
Courage - 9.0  
Fireblast - 8.5  
Skill - 9.7

_To be continued… _

Author's note: Chapter 2 completed! So now you meet Tomoyo, Sunstreaker and Wipeout, the first new members! Please and review, with no flames!


	3. The Return of Shatterbelt

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The only characters I own are the ones that I made. This time, the story's set in the episode, 'Trust', so you can expect some familiar lines.

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 3: The Return of Shatterbelt **

RATTA-RATTA-RATTA-RATTA!

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

That was the sound of flying lasers as Wipeout was in the training room, checking that his Vulcan Cannon was still in excellent working order, two days since his last battle. Most of the blasts struck the standard and the moving targets displayed in the room, while some of them scored many bullseyes. When that was done, his score came up, coming to the count of 99 out of 100. Then he proceeded to the Heavy Assault Target level, where he has to fight and take out a warship by destroying the weapons first, and then spotting the weak point on the ship. That wasn't difficult for him, yet he seems unsatisfied of that program.

_That's the training schedule they arranged? _He thought, as he then proceeded to the level settings of the menu. _I wonder if modifications are allowed for this simulator? If the next one isn't decent, maybe I'll get Optimus's permission to upgrade it. _

That would have sounded good, although he needed a better challenge. Back on Cybertron, the training seems much more intense, which is what he favoured when Shatterbelt was still alive. But he remembered the last time he was seen on a retrieval mission.

_Shatterbelt… _

_Flashback 1 begins…_

It happened on this fateful day, when they were sent to find a precious Energon jewel near the Cliffside shrine, on co-ordinates G33. This jewel held the salvation to restoring power to Cyber City when a massive, widespread blackout happened, and most of the Autobots were currently living in darkness. The only solution that came was that any two Autobots who were selected have automatically being volunteered to find the artefact.

In that case, that meant, on the lucky list, Wipeout and Shatterbelt were selected, as both of them dedicated themselves very hard on the training grounds of Cybertron. Training was never easy for the both of them, as time, went on, they were still good friends back then even thought they were a bit competitive.

Currently, the two were hiking up the mountain to their designated spot. There may the chance that the Decepticons would reach there first, but not without a fight. But there was a good conversation that was going on between the two.

"You're nervous, Wipeout? It's because I'm not, since I'm willing to take practically anything on!" And a huge grin came from Shatterbelt's face.

Chuckling, the other Autobot replied, "Good. But there's no need to get so exited so soon. And just remember, this is our first retrieval mission, you know. We always have to be prepared, anyway!"

The other warrior then responded, "You worry too much once again! Besides, remember our vow? If one of us is in trouble, we shall always be there for each other! It is not just ourselves, but we have to rely on each other!"

"Well, then, Shatterbelt. I just hope we gain some high ranks once we're done. Shall it be a promise for the sake of Cybertron?"

"A sworn promise more like!" and the two friends then cut each other's wounds so Energon flowed into their palms. Then they proceeded to shake their hands, in a promise they thought could never be broken.

But little did they know, it would be the last time they did this handshake…

_Flashback 1 ends…_

For a moment he wanted to think more on this. But he then began to increase the level from level 45 to 55. When that was done, he pressed the start button to activate the stage as the room then materialised to the tropical jungle stage. But just as that happened, the alarm began to ring out again, causing him to pull out the Emergency Stop keycard.

_Pathetic. Just when I was about to gain a better challenge, another mission comes again. Ah, well, I could do with a better challenge out there. If you were still alive Shatterbelt, what challenge will you suggest? _He thought, as the practice was cancelled. Loading his weapons and doing his final check on them, the Autobot carefully and quickly made sure they were in 100 working condition.

Still thinking about the good moments with Shatterbelt, he then proceeded to the control room.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"What are you trying to say?"

"S-sir, I was just saying that we shouldn't let the traitor walk away!"

"And why not!"

That, of course happened at the Decepticons' moon headquarters as the usual. It just so happens that a discussion was going on, currently about Scavenger's abrupt departure since giving away the second Skyboom Shield Minicon panel. And once again, Megatron was still in his foul mood again on his throne. Probably wound up having an overheated motherboard in the process.

"Megatron, don't you understand?" whined Starscream. "Scavenger's seen our base, he knows all about our operation, he'll reveal our position to the enemies!"

"Exactly what makes you think that?" asked Megatron, as he was probably starting to lose his cool already.

"He made a very hasty exit and gave no real reason for leaving us!"

Cyclonus then spoke next in the discussion. "Just because he's a no-good deserter doesn't mean he formed an alliance with the Autobots!"

"He's a bounty hunter!" added Demolishor. "He may have gone into combat somewhere else for all we know,"

"Starscream, watch yourself!" jeered the helicopter Decepticon. "If you keep running your processor on overdrive, well pretty soon, you won't be able to transform properly!" And he then cacked up with glee while watching the jet's reaction.

"Wherever Scavenger is now, let's just hope he gets what he deserves," replied Sideways in his normal cool tone.

"Yeah! If he did switch alliances the way you did Sideways, we'll take care of him, right? You know what I mean, Ha, Ha, Ha!"

There was a cold glint in the Motorcycle's optics. "No one double-crosses the Decepticons and gets away with it. And Scavenger will have to learn the lesson the hard way,"

Megatron then turned to the former Autobot next. "You're right. If we find him, I want you to bring me his head,"

Then a gruff voice spoke out from the darkness behind the four henchmen. "Not only will Scavenger's head be brought in, but add Wipeout's to the list considering what I've heard happened two days ago," and a figure then stepped out of the shadows.

He was a fully equipped earth-coloured warrior with a bit of a bulky design of what looked very much like a tank. But on both of his arms, two drill halves were equipped on them very much like combat gauntlets, as it became clear that it wasn't an artillery tank for his alternate form. Twin shoulder-mounted, tripled-barrelled mortar cannons were also on him as well. Then finally, his head appeared last, and it looked like a damaged mining helmet with a faceplate, and two red, glowing eyes appearing with hatred in them.

"Well, well, well," smiled Megatron, as the warrior bowed to him onto the floor. "What brings you here, Shatterbelt?"

"If it's any of your measly business, then I won't have to come here. Decepticon and Predacon elders Bludgeon and Cryotek sent me to assist you all on this fight, as long as I can get to fight my true opponent, the one responsible for my memory loss,"

A smile appeared on Megatron's face as he heard the warrior's words. "Ah. After six years, I'm vaguely impressed by your training," But his smile then faded. "But you better not fail me in destroying Wipeout into scrap after what he did,"

Shatterbelt then stood up. "It'll be my greatest pleasure to be in the high ranks. I'll show up until later," He sneered, causing Starscream to yell out in protest. "But Megatron, please let me…"

"SILENCE! I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU!" And you know the result after that. "I DO NOT NEED YOUR OPINIONS ANYMORE!" After his retaliation, the futuristic jet was wincing in both physical pain and humiliation. Then Sideways came up with something. "Megatron,"

"Yes, what is it, Sideways?"

"Perhaps if we're lucky, we may find Scavenger working behind the scenes with the Autobots as a spy for us. Now that would be a stroke of luck, wouldn't it? If, and when we find him, it would be a pleasure for me to perform the necessary interrogation, sir. After all, I just want to do my part for the Decepticons,"

On the right of Sideways, a hidden smirk appeared on Shatterbelt's face. _I bet that pathetic two-wheeler wouldn't find garbage if it were surrounding him in an active car crusher. With my excellent skills, I won't have to worry even if Optimus Prime has the Star Sabre. _

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Minicon Klaxon was still blaring throughout the Autobot base, as practically nearly all of the troops were prepared for battle mobilisation. When Red Alert, Hotshot, Smokescreen and Wipeout arrived, they met up with Optimus, who was having a conversation with the kids, minus Billy and Fred, while Tomoyo happened to drop by during the talk about Scavenger. Yet the Autobot instructor hasn't shown up yet.

"We're all set, sir!" cried Smokescreen as the four warriors showed up, while Optimus commanded, "Good! Red Alert, lock onto the Minicon's coordinates,"

"I'm on it!"

That was when Smokescreen noticed something wrong, and then asked Hotshot, "Where in the world is Scavenger? He's your instructor, isn't he? I knew we shouldn't trust him,"

Wipeout then chose that moment to speak out. "The last I saw him, he was just waking up from his nap. Considering after what happened, I'm surprised he didn't wind up snoozing at the Decepticon Moon base,"

Then Scavenger showed up, with a sleepy look on his face. "YAWN! What's all that racket about?"

"We're moving out! What do you think?"

"Oh, good," he replied, as he was shrugging his shoulders. "I'm just in time, then,"

"You're late!" snapped Hotshot, which led to another comment from the Bulldozer Transformer. "Don't worry, we'll make it. Oh, by the way, remember to keep that leg up when you kick,"

"Pardon me?"

Smokescreen then growled, "You just stay close to us out there. If you ask me, I don't think you have what it takes to be an Autobot warrior!" And Scavenger then scratched his chin. "You think so? Very well, I'll stay behind and guard the base. I wouldn't want to get in your way or anything," Which led to a cry of surprise from the kids except Tomoyo, who was standing calmly by.

"That's a good idea! No argument here,"

"No Scavenger," commanded Optimus. "Come with us. We're going to need your help," And a cry of disappointment came from the orange crane Autobot. "Of course. As you wish, Optimus," replied Scavenger.

Then Carlos piped in, "Can we come along too?" But a grim look came onto Optimus's face. "I'm sorry kids, we can't take you along this time. The Decepticons have the Star Sabre now. It's bound to be a fierce battle,"

Disappointment then entered the boy's mind like a kid not getting the toy he/she wanted for Christmas. "Hey, it's for the best, Carlos!" responded Rad.

"I know, but someone's gotta keep an eye on Scavenger out there,"

"Don't have a meltdown! You can still do that from here, using Laserbeak!" smiled Alexis.

"Yeah, but it's not the same," grumbled Carlos. And Tomoyo placed her hand on Carlos's shoulder, patting it. "Hey, look onto the bright side! At least a new friend will join up with the ranks!"

Optimus then summoned out the orders. "Red Alert, I want you to hold down the fort!"

"Consider it done, Optimus!" Responded the medic. You know what's the next line.

"YAWN!"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A snowy area is what awaited them as the five Autobots warped in onto the location of the Minicon. Although it is not as cold as the Antarctic when they first found Jetstorm, it was still freezing for a human being if he or she was trapped in a cave without any warmth like a fire. Mountains surrounded this area, and there was a deep ravine a few yards away, that even a Transformer fell in a long way. If Fortress Maximus were there, he probably would have fallen way less and couldn't fit into the gap, unless he fired his way in.

As many of the warriors transformed, Optimus then asked Wipeout, "Any sign of the Decepticons in this area?"

The Comanche helicopter then answered, "It would have been advisable to just notice before upon arrival, sir," and pointed out the direction just as Megatron then roared out, "Optimus Prime! Today's the day the Decepticons destroy the Autobots!"

"You're wrong again Megatron, and we're going to prove it!"

"And today you'll feel the power of the Autobot team!" shouted Smokescreen, in addition to Hotshot's "Let's do this!"

"Keep talking, you underdogs, victory will be mine today!" And as not to give a damn, the only responses from Scavenger and Wipeout were a loud yawn from the Autobot spy, and a deuce and evil eye from the commando.

As Rad, Carlos, Alexis, Tomoyo, and Red Alert watched on, the leader issued out his usual order. "Decepticons, prepare to attack! This is the end, Prime!"

Optimus then retorted, "If that's what you think, then I hope you brought backup, because you'll need it!"

"Enough talk! STAR SABRE!" And the warlord called forth the sword once again. "Your time has come!"

Optimus wasn't one without his counterattack. "OPTIMUS, SUPER MODE! TRANSFORM!" In response, he then transformed into his torso form as his trailer went inside out to become the lower portion of his body. Then they merged into his current strongest form, and after that, the battle was on, with Smokescreen verses Demolishor, Hotshot against Starscream, Scavenger fighting Cyclonus, which finally left for Wipeout to attack Sideways.

"Well, well, well," snickered the motorcycle, as he and the helicopter locked hands. "You still think you can take me on without our own allies doing it for you?"

"Humph. Maybe yes, or maybe no. It's your choice on that,"

"How about, no!" shouted Sideways, as he suddenly let go, trying to cause Wipeout to lose his balance so he can get a shot. But an idea was already formed in his processor. "Pathetic, the old 'loosen the slack trick'. One of the tricks I learnt to overcome!" And as he fell, he then executed two forward rolls in order to dodge around Sideways and his double laser shots. When the Decepticon looked around suddenly, he then screamed in pain as Wipeout then lashed out with his wrist blades, and then finished it with a Vulcan Cannon volley. As a result, that caused Sideways to retreat in vehicle mode.

"God," the Autobot glowered. "Can't I have a better challenge these days?" And he then decided to help either Hotshot or Smokescreen just as he saw Scavenger take out a powerlinked Cyclonus with his Dozer Cannon. _Maybe I should just torture Cyclonus a bit. Maybe yes, or maybe not. _As he then approached to a selected target, a sudden vibe then came in his direction. Thank goodness his training paid off, and he quickly moved just as a spinning drill was then fired in his direction.

With a sudden laugh, a voice then cried out, "You're pretty good in comparison to sixty stellar-cycles ago. But are you good enough for this?" And suddenly, a powerfully built warrior then appeared from a ridge above Wipeout. When the sun then cleared a bit, the Autobot then saw a face, a face that seems so familiar. For a moment, an expression then came in surprise and shock.

"Shatterbelt… I don't believe it… yet it's been a long time," But it changed when he suddenly saw a Decepticon insignia on each of his shoulders. "What is the meaning of this insignia?"

The warrior then spat onto the ground. "You fool. You didn't know? I was wondering if my so-called 'FRIEND' could give me some answers, the answers on what happened to me six years ago!"

"So. It seems that you one question you have to answer. How did you manage to cross over to the Decepticons?"

"You wanted to know… YOU WANTED TO KNOW! Well I'll tell you. Remember the time that we're been assigned to gain the Energon Crystal for Cyber City? This was how you betrayed me!"

Wipeout stood calmly as he said that. "I didn't remember a spark of betrayal that came within that mind on the day. You did remember a sworn promise back then, on that day? I suggested that we will reach the high ranks when we completed that mission, and do you remember?"

"THAT WAS A LIE!" the former Autobot roared. "DURING THE FIGHT, YOU PUSHED ME OVER THE RAVINE! AS A RESULT, I SUFFERED AMNESIA, AND I WANTED REVENGE ON YOU, WHO DESTROYED MY FORMER LIFE!"

"I know that you wanted your memory this badly, but that does not mean you could vent your revenge on any others that were closest to you by joining the Decepticons! Also, I wasn't the one to have betrayed you like that, after reinforcements arrived,"

The Decepticon couldn't take it anymore. "Shut up! That has nothing to do with your pathetic concerns! Get ready for Round 1, you traitor!"

The warrior then charged, and the next thing that happened, a clash of drills vs. blades began. On occasions, guns where then fired, as the kids and Red Alert then watched on during the fight. "Why is Shatterbelt so intent on destroying Wipeout, even though he wasn't the one to betray him?" asked Alexis in surprise.

Rad then answered, "Maybe Shatterbelt was probably used by the Decepticons or something sixty years ago,"

Carlos didn't look that pleased at the answer. "Well I bet Wipeout is going to answer a lot of questions when he gets back about Shatterbelt!"

"Not really," replied Red Alert. "Something must have gone wrong with Shatterbelt at that time after his fall. The Decepticons obviously must be using him as nothing more than a tool,"

"I thought you said you were going to keep an eye on Scavenger, Carlos?" asked Tomoyo, and she then pointed out at the screen. When she did, there was no sign of him, and most of the kids gasped in shock.

Back on the battlefield, Wipeout and Shatterbelt still fought on. "Give it up Wipeout! There's no way you pathetic Autobots will succeed, and besides, Prime's going to meet his grave!"

Inside, Wipeout then responded in silence. _That's what you think, if you would have known the plan. But why did you have to make that accursed choice? Why Shatterbelt, did you decide to join the Decepticons? _

_Flashback 2 begins… _

After many paths, the two young warriors made it to the shrine, which was near a deep ravine. Even though they were hindered by the dangers along the way, the Autobots were glad it was worth it so far. From the distance, the shrine nearly resembled a futuristic version of Shinto temple, if a human went there. The doors were also closed, as if it is the night watch was happening at that time. As the two warriors approached the site, the doors then opened automatically, and inside, a mechanical idol stood there. There was no sign of the jewel, however, yet the glow inside its stomach indicates that something valuable was inside it.

"To think that a relic so long ago would contain a jewel that may be the salvation to Cyber City," exclaimed Wipeout, as he and his companion stepped towards the shrine. But he then stopped. "But chances are, some of the dangers were a little too easy to overcome. Why would some of our training be wasted here?"

"I don't know," replied Shatterbelt. "But I'm glad to see we've made it up this far. Race you to the crystal!"

The other warrior then cried out, "Wait a second, it could be a trap or something!"

Shatterbelt then laughed slightly at that. "Oh come on. How bad would it be?" he chuckled, as he and a reluctant Wipeout then entered the shrine. But as soon as they entered, the doors suddenly closed on them, and the room was filled with darkness.

"Okay," shivered Shatterbelt nervously. "I see what you mean," And then, the lights suddenly went on, revealing the four Decepticon warriors.

"Is that the smell of two trained Autobots I detect, hmm?" taunted Megatron, as evil laughter from Cyclonus, Demolishor and Starscream echoed throughout the shrine. "It's quite interesting on how you two made it out so far, but you have reached the end of the line, I believe,"

"I suppose this is what you intended to do now that we reached the cave?" asked Wipeout, as he prepared himself.

Shatterbelt was also set up. "Look at their optics. Seems like Megafart and the boys definitely don't want us out alive even if we made it up this far to surrender,"

From that word, 'Megafart', that gotten him annoyed enough. "Enough! Let the survival of the fittest begin! DECEPTICONS ATTACK!" And all of the Decepticons opened out fire, and attacked the two Autobots.

A loud cry also rang out from the two. "LONG LIVE THE AUTOBOTS!" as they then charged at the Decepticons, their own weapons blazing. At the beginning of the fight, it started off with Wipeout vs. Cyclonus, while Shatterbelt fought against Starscream and Demolishor.

Apparently, the Decepticons were a bit tougher then they expected, and so the first thing Wipeout received was a strong roundhouse kick to the upper left arm. But he never succumbed to unconsciousness when he head butted the Decepticon maniac on the head, and then punched him in the stomach, finishing it off with an upward flip kick to the chin. Shatterbelt, however, was having tough time in a usual two-against one, like it was training all over again. Whereas he held his own against the two, he was pummelled at the same time, until Wipeout then joined into the fight, despite a damaged left arm.

Shatterbelt then hid in one of the structures; in which was shattered by one Demolishor's machine gun shots. In retaliation, he then activated his drills, and drove the Decepticon into a wall. While that was done, Starscream constantly continued missing Wipeout, and in his fight, he managed to get his sword stuck in another structure. For his finish, the Autobot then struck the seeker with his knee, and initiated a five-hit combo.

"That takes care of them," said Wipeout, as he then caught his breath and turned to Shatterbelt. "How are things for your point of view?"

"So far, so good. But I don't see Megafart anywhere else. You see him, Wipeout?"

"Nothing that I know of," he replied, as he then activated his search feature. _Something tells me that Megatron must have hidden himself during the fight. Our damage currently is nothing too serious, but we have to be on watch, _he thought. His friend was also on guard after that attack, but within the darkness, he didn't see the Decepticon leader hiding in the darkness. A sneer came onto the warlord's face, as he then fired.

That's when Wipeout then detected the shot even when Megatron fired. "SHATTERBELT, MOVE!" he screamed, as he then ran towards his friend, hoping he could reach him in time. Unfortunately, in the process of shoving Shatterbelt out of the way, he was then hit by the awesome power of the blast, which sent him crying out in pain as he flew through the wall and outside the shrine. There was no impalement however, but he was wincing from the blast like a human being pounded by a thrown fridge.

"WIPEOUT!" cried Shatterbelt, as he then rushed over to help his comrade, but unfortunately, the three Decepticon warriors were not as knocked out as they seemed to be, and he was soon restrained by Demolishor and Starscream, and continually punched in the stomach by Cyclonus. Then he wound up being _en massed _attacked on by the three.

The Decepticon warlord stepped over towards the fallen Wipeout with a look of satisfaction. "You were looking for this, hmm?" he smirked, as he then held a shining object that the Autobot automatically recognised. It was the Energon Crystal that he held in his hand. "It was amazing on how you came this far. But alas, I must thank Sabotage for this moment. And now, you puny Autobots shall be a thorn no longer in my side, and your disrespect makes me want to obliterate every one of your circuits into nothing but slag, even if I don't have Leader-1 with me,"

"Even if you have to destroy every single innocent Cybertronian to get what you want!" Wipeout demanded, as he coughed out Energon fluid. "Is that how you really want it, Megatron!"

"Why, yes, I suppose that is what I want it to be. And now to finish you off!" he growled, as then aimed his tank cannon at Wipeout and prepared to fire to kingdom come. From over in the shrine, Cyclonus then laughed in both glee and excitement. "Oh goody! I can't wait to see that loser Autobot blown to smithereens after what he's done just now!"

"But lord Megatron could have let us finish drill boy here," protested Demolishor, as he held the warrior by the neck.

"Haven't you heard anything Demolishor?" glowered Starscream, as he returned after retrieving his fallen sword. "Megatron told us that we can take out a target out of the two, and that's… hey, where's Shatterbelt?"

Demolishor, who placed the body on the ground, was about to tell the other two when suddenly, a fist then knocked him out cold this time. It turns out that he wasn't as knocked out as the Decepticons predicted, and the enraged Autobot then fired on the two.

"I told you," he snarled as he came back to consciousness. "We came too far just to get our butts kicked by the likes of overgrown nimrods like you!" And as the two Decepticons this time got stunned, Shatterbelt then saw the situation in horror. For a moment, time seemed to stop as the thought appeared. _Our promise… I was the one to suggest that promise to you on our way. Even when we were young, we protected each other for many years in from our birth, by Primus! And before, you just saved me just now, but cannot let this go to waste if you were destroyed. I will return the favour, my comrade. _

"Goodbye," sneered Megatron in a cool manner and the cannon was charged at ready. Wipeout already braced himself for the impact as Megatron laughed out his cruel laughter, but he never felt it as the Decepticon suddenly roared out a cry of pain as Shatterbelt then jump kicked to the side, and the shot only hit a cliff a few yards from the ravine. But that also allowed him to drop the crystal by accident, and with glee, the Autobot caught it in his outstretched hand, and tossed it to Wipeout. That did not go unnoticed, however, and Megatron then fired a much more powerful shot at Shatterbelt, as he then was sent screaming and sliding on the ground. In the process, his right arm was blown off it's joint.

Shakily, Wipeout then stood up just as he noticed Shatterbelt's look. A pain that he recognised it too well. A look of death was in his optics.

"Leave me here, and run, Wipeout," groaned the warrior. "I'll deal with those bastards, one way or the other,"

"No, Shatterbelt! I won't leave you like this! I have more health!"

"Idiot! At least you have enough health to start running back to Cyber City! This is my payback for you after you saved me, that's all, and my fight! One that I'm willing to throw my life for a death of honour!"

For a moment silence passed by in seconds, as Wipeout then stood still at the thought of the repayment that his comrade has given him. The thought of his close friend, sacrificing his own life to save Cyber City for him almost seems horrific to be true. But if it was a honourable death he wanted, then it was one wish he truly wanted. Reluctantly, he then nodded. "I understand. If I died running, I will be glad to join you as one in the Matrix, Shatterbelt. So when shall I run?"

"Now would be a good time," came the reply, and as he said that, Megatron then fired his blast. And as Wipeout then watched as if time slowed down, he saw the blast hit his friend… the look as he was pounded… and the fall as he then plunged off the ravine… and the shards of metal the rained from the blast…

"SHATTERBELT!" screamed Wipeout, as he then saw the scene in horror.

"Don't worry about me! Save Cyber City for mine and Primus' sake!" was his final words, as he vanished into the darkness, with a smile of his face. After what looked like three seconds has passed, the warrior then started running back as fast his legs could take him, even when Megatron shouted his orders. With his spark pounding, he still ran with newfound energy even when he was hit. All the while, his processor was ticking in light speed_. Please, by Primus, get me back to Cyber City whether you are, god dammit! _That was his cry when he then ran across a metallic bridge that led back to Cyber City. Unfortunately, the Decepticons then destroyed the bridge, and just as the impact happened, all that remained was the Autobot hanging by one hand on the other side of ravine face, with the Energon Crystal in the other, even when he was battered, burnt, and bruised. The trouble is, that Demolishor's gun barrels now targeted Wipeout.

The grin then appeared on Demolishor's face as he was prepared to fire at the downed Autobot. "Time's up for you!" he sneered in peak satisfaction. But just as the warrior braced himself, a huge storm of firepower then rained down onto the Decepticon army. Another blast then hit the Decepticon, as Rana then pulled Wipeout to the safety of the cliff just as Optimus Prime and co. charged in, and the Decepticons retreated from the group.

Optimus just placed his rifle away when he noticed Wipeout's look of chagrin. "Wipeout, what happened?"

"I… g-g-got the crystal but… I'm sorry… I lost… S-S-Shatterbelt…" And the Autobot then collapsed in sadness and pain, while the rest of them were in shock. Even though they succeeded in obtaining the crystal, a comrade was lost in the battle. It was only until later that the details were explained after Wipeout recovered, a few days later.

_Flashback 2 ends… _

"It is so simple, getting what I want," sneered Shatterbelt as he fired from a nearby rock formation. "Basically, after what happened to me in the past, there's no need for the old Shatterbelt to be in control. Besides, I am superior to the old and even pound you to bits!"

"Seems like you're inferior to me in any way, or the other," growled the Autobot discreetly, and this time, he tried a manoeuvre that possibly the new Shatterbelt could not possibly avoid. In that other case, when they then locked their weapons together, Wipeout then tripped the Decepticon over, and the initiated a much more powerful ten hit combo for a finish. Or so he thought, as he was then unaware of a plan cooked up in Shatterbelt's processor.

"So then. It may seem that the new you hasn't changed much after sixty years. Are you sure that's how you're… 'improved'?" he asked in sarcasm.

But a grin then appeared on Shatterbelt's face, as a sign then popped up. "You think so, hmm? But one more trick comes into my mind now for power," As he said that, a loud yell then erupted from his mouth. "MOVOR - POWERLINK!"

A rumbling sound in resemblance of an earthquake then happened. As it did, a sound of treads then arose, as a heavily armoured tank equipped with a laser drill then appeared, and the fused with the Decepticon as ordered. Then his teeth shone out evilly, as he then prepared himself with his newfound power. "Your taste of your own medicine, coming right at you!" And with a shock of surprise, Wipeout was then forced to avoid any punches that headed in his direction. But while avoiding it, Shatterbelt's laser cannons then transformed, as quad drill like cannons then appeared, two on each shoulder, and fired at full force at the Autobot. With a finish, Shatterbelt then did a roundhouse kick to the stomach, and in result, Wipeout then fell off the ledge, and into the snow below.

Cursing for his naiveness, Wipeout then attempted to stand up from his predicament, but only to find himself facing the barrels of the enemy once again, like from six years ago. A look of disappointment then appeared as this time, he was facing certain death from a former comrade who has turned evil.

Shatterbelt then licked the inside of his faceplate with a hint of satisfaction. "Once I find my prey, escape is hardly possible now. Revenge is so sweet,"

For now, it seem that there was no escape now, just as the former Autobot said. Only two words were left in his processor at that stage.

"_Oh fuck…" _

New Decepticons: Shatterbelt

New Minicons: Movor

**Decepticon Identification **

Name: SHATTERBELT  
Faction: DECEPTICON  
Alternate Form: Drilling Mole Tank  
Minicon Partner: MOVOR  
Function: Land/Underground Warrior  
Quote: "This world crumbles underground!"

The former friend of WIPEOUT, SHATTERBELT has turned evil due to amnesia after he fell off a ravine, sacrificing himself to save the helicopter. As a result, he underwent a terrible personality change from AUTOBOT to DECEPTICON. Although his strength and intelligence has become stronger, he became arrogant and destructive at the same time, becoming obsessed in world conquest and thinking that WIPEOUT was the one responsible for his memory loss. He is quite hot headed, and always enjoys an excellent battle. Believing that defeating the AUTOBOTS will gain his memory back, SHATTERBELT will stop at nothing to please MEGATRON and gain his reward. But will his arrogance and brutality blind his ability to achieve his goal, or will his old life return with prosperity?

Strength - 8.0  
Intelligence - 7.5  
Speed - 7.0  
Endurance - 9.0  
Rank - 6.0  
Courage - 9.0  
Fireblast - 7.9  
Skill - 8.0

_To be continued… _

Author's note: My first cliffhanger, Chapter 3, is completed, for now! God. WHAT THE FRIGGIN' HECK IS WRONG WITH VOICE ACTING IN AMERICA THESE DAYS? CORRECT THE MISTAKES DAMMIT, EVEN THE JAPANESE HAVE BETTER CORRECTION THAN THEY HAVE ON ARMADA! No offence to them however.

Now that that's done for now, Chapter 4 shall be on it's way now! Although it could take a while since school is coming soon, along with some preparation for Year 11 this year. For now, I wish you a happy new year! (Although it's Chinese New Year in my point of view.) Please, read and review! **Jya ne! **Final Genesis signing out for now!


	4. The New Minicon, REV

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The only characters I own are the ones that I made. This time, the story's set in the episode, 'Trust', so you can expect some familiar lines.

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 4: The New Minicon, REV **

The battle still continued as the heat then rose to its peak between the two sides. Although some chances seemed high, it almost seems that the Autobots were nearly outnumbered at that stage.

That was correct however; as Wipeout still attempted to come up with a plan to get out of this situation he was currently in, while Shatterbelt was gloating with laughter as he contemplated on how wonderful it would be to serve the Autobot's head on a plate as a trophy to Megatron. It would seem that like Starscream, his desire has gone out of control as he laughed insanely, and his arrogance happened to have the better of him at this stage.

"How wonderful it will be to also get some good ranks for the Decepticon army, Autobot," he laughed with arrogance. "With your head as a wonderful trophy and gift, I will be one of the most powerful Decepticons in the universe! Maybe I'll even get a higher promotion then that loudmouth Starscream!" And instantly, he was blinded in his thought.

_God how I hate his new side already, _growled Wipeout in thought, as his head was still in sight of the quad drilling nightmares. _It seems that he was truly blinded to his ambitions now that he cornered me. Looks like the best thing to do it try another method once he's kept off guard, that jerk. Now what did Rana mention? Ah, yeah. So it seems that her advice might do the trick, I hope. From what see, he's about to be going down if he's going to be a stuffed-up pitiful shit again. _

Now that he stoped laughing, the Decepticon then prepared his cannons for standby. "Hope you enjoyed your last bakery-fresh life on Cybertron, Autobot! Goodbye!" He glowered, as the cannons the reached the end of their standby sequence. For a moment, Wipeout's head would probably be already obliterated if it weren't for quick thinking and planning.

Suddenly, he then completed a full backwards kick to Shatterbelt's head, and in result, his cannons then fired the wrong way around as the shots then flew through the sky. After that was done, he then proceeded to unleashing his ten-hit combo, and Shatterbelt just went down as the same time as hearing Megatron's scream. That was the scream when Optimus Prime chucked himself and the warlord over the edge, and practically, almost both sides stood there in shock, except Red Alert and Wipeout.

Then as planned, Scavenger then raced over the edge to save Optimus in vehicle mode, while many of the others watched. "I have better things to do than to hang around with you, Megatron! Have a nice fall!" And with that, after the save, the 'horny' bastard's angered cry of 'Scavenger!' echoed as the two Autobots then landed safely on the other side where the battle was going on, and most of the stunned Decepticons then ran over to the spot where Megatron fell in. From where Wipeout and Shatterbelt fought, a look of hatred then formed on the Decepticon's face. "What did you do?"

"Humph. Ask Prime that question to find out what happened to Megafart," sneered the helicopter, and with a cry of, "How dare you! Lord Megatron, please be alright!" Shatterbelt ran over to the edge. Then Wipeout proceeded to join the other Autobots, just as Optimus began telling the others of the plan that he and Scavenger made. The same was then done at the base, where Red Alert also told the four kids of Optimus and Scavenger's past. When Wipeout then came during the middle of the talk, Smokescreen then sighted him. "Wipeout, there you are! Where were you at this time?"

A humble look was on him at that time. "Oh, nothing much. But we got a problem involving a fallen comrade who was once thought to be killed in the line of duty,"

"You mean Shatterbelt?" asked Optimus. "I saw you two fighting intensely and it was apparent that it wasn't the usual friendly sparring,"

"It wasn't. He lost his memory and thought I was the one responsible for that, in which I did not do, by Primus,"

Smokescreen was shocked by what happened. "But… how could this happen then? So did he… betray us then?"

"It does not matter to us for now. Right now, Megatron has fallen so far, so then…" he was about to continue on when Hotshot then cried out in both excitement and glee, "Yeah! We did it again, and the good guys come out on top! Hey Decepticons, you had enough?"

Demolishor growled as he then turned to Cyclonus, "They got us! Hey you, when you feel like joining, come over!"

"Oh my aching motherboard!" groaned the helicopter in response, while he was shaking the snow off him.

"SIGH! What a worthless piece of junk!"

"Hey!" growled Starscream, "speaking of worthless junk, where'd Sideways disappear to?" But his answer was gained when a roaring motorcycle sound came up, and there he was, lifting a slightly Megatron and the Star Sabre with a set of chains from the icy ravine. "Look, there he is!"

"And he's with Megatron!" added Demolishor with glee, while the other Autobots watched. "Who will always come out on top!" nodded Shatterbelt. And with that, Megatron then leaped down, with the Star Sabre at ready to strike Scavenger. "YOU'RE MINE, YOU TRAITOR!"

Hotshot's tone then came out in a whine. "Doesn't Mega-dumb ever give up easily?" he groaned, as a glint came from Wipeout's right optic. "Hotshot, we do not call him Mega-dumb, we call him Megafart. Besides, from what he's doing, it seems that what goes up, must come down. If done twice, that is," That was what he sarcastically said as Optimus then charged up, and fired his Sparkburst at Megatron. "See?" As that was said, the shot then hit the warlord at full force, as he then flew up again.

A groan came from the rest of Decepticons, including from Demolishor, "OH NO, Megatron!" as the commander crashed onto the ground.

"Optimus!" cried Smokescreen.

"Get into position! The battle's still on!"

Growling, Megatron attempted to stand up, but that failed in his point of view. "How dare you, Scavenger! You'll pay for your treachery!" And then Sideways then drove up and transformed. "Megatron, you're seriously injured. We must retreat,"

"No!" yelled Shatterbelt in anger. "I still want my challenge!" but Starscream then thumped him on the head. "And end up with more casualties? Honestly, you are so hopeless sometimes, Drill-boy,"

The red eyes of hatred then turned to the Autobots while sparks still fizzled from Megatron's body. "Don't think this is over, Optimus Prime. I'll get you! And you, Scavenger, next time, I'll take care of you, personally!" And as a result, all of the Decepticons then retreated, while Cyclonus then teleported last after his whine.

A few seconds after they retreated, Hotshot then laughed out, "Ha! They're on the run again!" But while Scavenger watched, a humble Smokescreen then spoke up. "Scavenger. I just wanted to say you did some good work today. And there's something else I should tell you. I really want to apologise for the things I said back there. I was way out of line, and I'm sorry for that,"

"Yeah, me too. You're my instructor, and I had serious doubts about you. I'm sorry for it," added Hotshot.

There was no stern look from Scavenger however after they said their apologies. " Okay, are you two done now? Because if you are, I think we should start looking for that Minicon," He said that even when he was about to yawn. "All this talk is starting to make me sleepy,"

"Scavenger?"

"It's boring talking about the past. It never does you any good. Apologies accepted. Now let's get back on business, okay?" As that was said, the smiles then returned to their faces. Now that was done, Optimus then issued the orders. "I'm glad to see that everybody is doing fine now. Wipeout, can you do an aerial recon for the Minicon while the rest of you search on ground?"

"Yes sir!" shouted the rest of the Autobots in response, as Wipeout then switched to vehicle mode. Then, the search was on as the Autobots split up to find it in the snowy landscape, with Laserbeak also searching for the location.

After what felt a few minutes have passed, one of the Autobots then made his call. "Sir, the Minicon has been located on this mountain ledge!" cried Wipeout. "Good work!" replied Optimus. "When you retrieve it, return to base immediately," And that was when the helicopter used the installed utility rope and electromagnet to obtain the Minicon, and then the Autobots then returned to base.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A few minutes after their return, along with Carlos's apology to Scavenger, oddly enough, Billy and Fred happened to arrive at the base, moments later, after hearing that the Autobots gained the newest addition while carrying their bikes along. Apparently, it seems that Billy had to drag Fatso away from the food court after he wound up embarrassing himself while eating at the new Sizzler joint constructed there. Not only that, that pitiful stunt has made them broke to the last quarter they had in each other's pockets.

"This wouldn't have happened if your hunger didn't take over your brain, doofus!"

"I can't help it, Billy! I didn't have breakfast at that time!"

"Well if you had breakfast instead of the loss of change, that wouldn't have happened!"

"Which comes to show that a healthy diet and a good weight loss would be necessary," piped up Tomoyo, as she then carried a covered dish, while the rest of the kids and Autobots then waited for them, as they awaited for the Minicon to awaken.

"Oh boy, is it a steak?" slobbered Fred, as he eagerly lifted the cover off. Unfortunately, all he saw was some tuna and salmon roe, and some tofu and California rolls. "No! That's what I'm eating?"

The Japanese girl shook her head and did the _tsk tsk _gesture at the boy while Sunstreaker imitated her. Then she snatched the chips packet away. "Of course. Dietary supplement is highly recommended of course, so no snacking about after meals!" Then she proceeded to rode Sunstreaker away as Tubby then chased her even despite his bulk, earning a huge sigh from Alexis, while few of the others laughed. "God. Sometimes it annoys me greatly to see this go on," Unfortunately for Fred at that time, he unwittingly then tripped over, and landed on the Minicon panel.

"Hoo boy, is that meant to happen?" asked Hotshot. "You all right, Fred?" added Smokescreen, but no sooner after Fred tripped over, the Minicon panel began to glow, and he stepped back. With amazement, the rest of the children and the Autobots then watched on, as the panel then glowed to life. The form then rose out of it. This Minicon was almost like High Wire except being a little stockier and has a faceplate and glowing green rectangular optics. On his back, what looked like a jetpack happened to be on his back, and a rocket booster were near each of his ankles. For his primary colour, he was a tan and army green in colour for most of him, along with a red streak on each of his sides. Finally, a glowing green Minicon insignia was on his chest.

As he then blinked, he noticed Fred for the first time. (Could you possibly tell me where am I, and can you please stop goggling at me like that?) he asked.

"Boy, I'm sorry," replied Fred. "You're at the Autobot base. But what's your name? And are you my partner?"

(Considering seeing you as a partner even though you look like you swallowed a nuclear missile? Call me REV. Seems like I found the most likely place to meet the famous Optimus Prime here.)

The goggling look then returned to Fred as his eyes then turned teary-eyed with happiness as he found his own Minicon partner. With an unexpected burst of hyperactiveness in him, he then cried out, "WAH! I finally got my very own Minicon!" as he started hugging the poor newly born robot. Unfortunately for REV, he wound up having his face in a lovely shade of purple. (GARGH! I know you're happy having your own Minicon, but stop it with the hug pressure, fatso! I am not a stuffed animal, you know!)

Unfortunately for poor Billy, he then yelled out in defeat. "Great, now he's got a Minicon and I must be the last one to have one! God, why does this happen to me?" But that just so happens that after that stunt, the rest of the Autobots and the kids then laughed at the situation poor REV was in. Even Wipeout chuckled a little bit at that time. Speaking of him, however, he then decided to ask Optimus something. "Sir. Is it okay if I can retire to my quarters, please?"

"Sure, Wipeout. I guess you wanted to cool off after today's events on the battlefield, am I correct?"

"Yes sir," and he then returned to his room, but not before Tomoyo then noticed his look of pain as he departed.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was later on that the Autobot then decided to send e-mail to Rana about what has happened on today's battle. Upon his arrival on Planet Earth, he realised he forgot to write back a message, so he thought best to send it now once he was done. Thinking hard, his thoughts were then between the message and the good times with Shatterbelt. Annoyed, he then ignored all thoughts and swatted them out of his processor.

He then continued typing for some time until he then heard a knock on the door, so he then approached the source of the sound. When he did, in surprise, he then saw Tomoyo and Sunstreaker outside.

"What a pleasant surprise, you two. You can both come in, if you like," And then two then entered the quarters, and sat down as the giant invited them in. "Is there anything you would like to know about?"

"I was meaning to ask you, Wipeout. Just while you were fighting against Shatterbelt, I noticed that you were once an old acquaintance of him back then, a long time ago, back on Cybertron. Is it really that true?" she asked.

"So when did you hear about that, you two?"

(Oh come on.) replied Sunstreaker, as she stretched out her joints. (Tomoyo told me about your sorry look when you scurried off to your quarters, and so, can you spill the beans please?)

By that sound of the tone, it was type that meant that even though they were smaller than him, they could still plead like giants if they were Transformers. But then, after all, he wasn't the type for arguing, was he? "Alright. I will tell you both, but that was already explained to the other Autobots after that," which is when he sat down.

"It happened when I was born. When my spark was created I was born a brash and fun-loving warrior, a type who can sometimes cause some mischief. Unfortunately, I had gotten into trouble by some Decepticon gangs in the dark corners of Cyber City. I was called Wipeout because of my wild nature back then, but I'm still called that now.

On one fateful day, I was terribly beaten by one of the worst gangs, when another Autobot then saved me. He wasn't as tough as I, but made me happy was that he was sticking up to me, never leaving my side as a good friend. Even though he was beaten up in the process, the High Council then sent the gang to the far corners of the galaxy as a punishment. It was then I found out that Autobot was in fact Shatterbelt.

He shared my nature back then, and boy, do we sometimes get into trouble like that! We are always ready for training with Master Scavenger, although mischief is our minds sometimes. But we were both willing to enter into high ranks of the Autobot army, and we were always willing to help each other, in a way. You could say that Optimus Prime thought us of like brothers back then,"

Tomoyo then nodded with a smile. "I know how you feel! That strongly reminded me of the good times I've had with my sister," But her look of happiness then changed to a look of concern. "But then… what happened next?"

"What happened next is the Cyber City Blackout, caused by an evil Predacon hacker, Sabotage. It was time of darkness, and for that time, many of us trained hard, in order to find the source of restoring Cyber City's power. Only two of the best warriors were selected, and Shatterbelt and I were that duo suited for the retrieval mission.

Unfortunately, once we got the Energon crystal, Decepticon forces ambushed us. Although we fought valiantly, both became damaged during the fight, with Shatterbelt sustaining more. At the last moment, he convinced me to leave without him in order to save Cyber City, with his wish as a honourable death, sacrificing himself to save me after I did the same for him. When he was blasted off the ravine, I didn't want to go onto the front lines again. Then after that battle, another Autobot, Rana, comforted me of my sorrows, and she even inspired me to start training again. So that's how it basically was, after that pitiful first meeting after sixty years. He may have lost his memory and became a Decepticon… but inside… his Autobot memory will always in my mind and soul for the rest of the years. But it must have been stupid of me to think of that, you two! There probably wouldn't be any sign of his memory after the amnesia,"

(No!) protested Sunstreaker. (Just because he became a Decepticon doesn't mean his memory is completed gone from his hard drive. We believe that his memory still remains, even though he's now a Decepticon.)

"That's right!" added Tomoyo. "I might not be positive, but I know that his memory will resurface one day, and he will become an Autobot again,"

A smile then formed on the Autobot's face upon hearing those words. "Thank you both. That has made me happy,"

As the girl then checked her watch, she then said, "Looks like I better be going now. But remember, don't let us catch a sign of blueness on you, you got it?"

(Hai!) added Sunstreaker as she then transformed into her motorcycle mode. (Hope you're well by the time we arrive the next day!) and the cry of 'See you later!' was the last thing said when they departed.

_Oh I will be all right. I will be. You two do happen to be good comrades, at times. _That was his thought when he finished his e-mail, read over it a few times, and then sent it. Turning off the monitor, he then proceeded to the training room for some unfinished business on level 55, when Smokescreen then entered the room. But it was too late to stop it when he then pressed the button.

"So, what're you doing, Wipeout?" the crane Autobot asked him.

"Training, Smokescreen. Training,"

"Training, huh? Sounds like a lot of fun, Wipeout. I just hope the simulator isn't set to level 50 or higher, I only just managed to complete L49 yesterday,"

But an evil glint was then spotted on Wipeout's right optic. "Oh no. You didn't…"

"I set it on L55. Surely that doesn't pose a problem to you, would it?" replied the helicopter evilly.

"No, no, that wouldn't pose a problem at all… well, what the heck, we'll settle this!"

"It'll be fine by me, Smoky. I believe it'll be time to get this show on the road, shall we?" and as the stage then started, the two Autobots then each selected any amount of weapons on the screen.

"Oh I'm ready. Race you to the finish line!" yelled Smokescreen as he then started straight away. A final thought then came to Wipeout's mind as he prepared himself. _Ah yes. At least I could do with a team player on my side. In which you'll do just fine, Smokescreen. If you haven't become a Decepticon Shatterbelt, you would have done just fine as well, in my liking. _Now that was done, he then proceeded to help Smokescreen with the practise. Already, even though his best friend was now his enemy, his training continued again. And that was how it was going to be in the next battle.

New Minicons: REV

_To be continued…_

Author's note: Yes, I know school is here, but maybe there's a chance that I probably can't be stopped even in Year 11. Hopefully, everybody had a good holiday! Jya ne! Final Genesis signing out!


	5. A Tomb of Ice

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The only characters I own are the ones that I made. In addition to some OCs' in it. Now, this is one of the two stories set before 'Vacation'.

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 5: A Tomb of Ice**

On the continent of Alaska, in an icy canyon, all seemed peaceful at that time of year. With many living inhabitants running the place so far, like the Alaskan Grizzly along with the wolf packs, rabbits and birds of prey, along with many other mammals, it almost seems like it was normal at that time.

Almost…

However, deep within a subdued cave, an odd noise happened inside, causing a family of bears to run out in panic. It was obvious that it could have been a rockslide that has caused the commotion that was going on, with the ice inside the cave. But deep within the cave, a huge chasm of ice also glistened in the opening, with part of the roof having a crack with faint sunlight streaming out of it. But that wasn't the cause of all this, however…

What was actually the cause of it, it was apparently not normal. Within it, along with the frozen rocks, a tip of a frozen stasis pod was in there. But it was neither Autobot nor Decepticon. Glowing on it was a kind of green insignia, that almost resembled a strange, wolf like symbol. Something that shows that yet a new member of another race of Transformer is waiting to come online on earth.

It was actually the one that caused the bears to run out into the open. Vibrating, for a long time, it searched for a way to free itself from its prison, ever since it was accidentally warped during crash-landing into this frozen tomb. From where protoform's optics scanned around, there was never much forms found, until now.

Obviously, the only forms that remained were some fossils buried deep with it that archaeologists luckily, haven't found them yet. So, all that the stasis pod has to do, is to find, and scan a mode powerful enough to free itself. And it has found one, the one form that would be strong enough to break out of. So, it scanned one ancient mode of great power, one that shall be modified to that of a Transmetal warrior.

But even when that was scanned, it still wasn't strong enough to break free from the ice. And so, once again, it was trapped there.

Even though it was asleep, freedom is its strongest desire…

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"Any song you'd like to suggest next?"

"Sure! English singer/song, or Japanese singer/song?"

"How about See-Saw's 'Obsession, TV Version?"

"Sounds good, Alexis! Let's do it!"

That was Alexis and Tomoyo singing with joy at the time. Apparently, the six kids were at a famous karaoke joint in the Lincoln Mall on that day. Which was why there was the singing in the background. It may seem that the kids decided to go there just to get some time off from the battles, for now. Unfortunately, only Billy wasn't enjoying it, even despite the addition of Tomoyo's heavenly voice.

"Whoa," whistled Carlos, as he watched the two girls go at it with the singing. "I never realised these ladies still have the energy to sing the sixth song at that time,"

"That's just a fluke," snorted Billy as he then crossed his arms. It just so happens that he was like that ever since he didn't receive his own Minicon partner yet. "Their singing isn't all that great, even when Alexis succeeded in Japanese class,"

"Lighten up, Billy," smiled Rad. "Maybe you'll get your Minicon partner soon, you know. You just have to try to be patient,"

"But it ain't the same,"

Fred then decided he might add in his say. "C'mon, Billy, maybe a song shall lighten you up a bit, or some food! Speaking of that, I am kind of hungry,"

Big mistake. "AND DO YOU EXPECT TO STUFF YOUR FACE AND FORCE ME TO PAY YOUR TAB, YOU DOOFUS?" he roared, grabbing Tubby by his shirt collar, and shaking him about, since he was rather jealous when REV joined up with his friend. "NO, BILLY, NO!" shrieked the other, as he tried hard not to get sick.

Rad eventually settled Billy down after the girls finished their song of choice. "Here, Billy, it's your turn now, maybe you can find your song of choice in there,"

"No way!"

After they were done singing, Tomoyo and Alexis placed down their microphones. A look came from the Japanese as a single quoted word popped out. "Oro? Didn't I hear from Alexis that you got a F in music class before?"

The boy, still in his grumpy mood, grabbed one of the six microphones supplied in there. "I'll show you some legendary singing!" he snarled, as he automatically selected his song that would 'absolutely rock' the house. The song he selected was Nine Inch Nails' song, 'Ruiner', and he intended on singing it himself. Unfortunately, since of his mood, his singing turned out worse than anybody can possibly THINK.

And yes, it was enough to even make Megafart puke.

_Later…_

"Ouches, my ears," groaned Carlos, later on, as they then rode to Autobot HQ after that predicament. He was still trying to get his ears cleared when the song was played at his top volume. That is what he was doing at the same time while riding Grindor. Because of that, they were booted out of the joint until they could have given a lesson about attitude, or singing properly.

Alexis, however, was in a little bit of a worse condition than Carlos, as she has the swirly-eye syndrome and was slung onto Sureshock's handles. Sureshock was now the one driving while Alexis felt like her head was vibrating, even with her helmet on. "Where's one of those sick bags when you need them…"

"Don't worry you guys," replied Rad, riding High Wire. "Once we get there, I'm sure Red Alert would supply the treatment needed,"

Tomoyo then chipped in her happy cry of confidence while riding Sunstreaker. "Hai! Besides, Fred here wasn't sick, at least I though he wasn't…"

Too late. Fred puked up over REV's right side. Apparently, before they set off, REV scanned Fred's bicycle, yet modified the design. So now, his alternate mode was a tan and army green rocket-powered hovercycle. As he was driving along, REV let loose a huge sigh. (Hopefully, he wouldn't eat much for a while, I hope. I'm already starting to feel the strain already.)

"Well he deserved it," Snarled Billy, as he was lagging behind slightly. "Anyway, I don't know what's wrong with my singing, so what's the point?"

"Billy, since of your whining attitude of not receiving a new Minicon partner of your own, that's probably what's wrong with your singing. I guess you didn't attend in too many music classes,"

Alexis, who was temporarily out of her little dizziness, managed to sit up after clearing her ears. "Tomoyo, he once attended a music class but he sabotaged the drum kit and a few of the band's brass instruments, which is why his singing was terrible,"

A thought then came into Tomoyo's calm mind then. "Hmmm. Maybe if he didn't stuff up the instruments, he could have auditioned well on American Idol, by chance,"

"No way! That, I will never do!"

(Maybe, Billy, maybe. But impatience doesn't help if you keep whining like that. One more time, and chances are, there'll probably be no Minicon accepting you as a partner.) added Sunstreaker.

That's when Billy made his move. "All right then! And whom else would you have made a suitable partner for other than Tomoyo? If you were human, I doubt any man would take you out because of how much of a bitch you are!" But instantly, he then stopped. Sunstreaker was suddenly quiet, while a black aura surrounded her. (Associating with Jap animation) Something that made Tomoyo hop off quickly. "Uh, Sunstreaker? Did someone say something… wrong?"

"I think maybe Billy did," replied Fred nervously, after he finished puking.

"Shut up, Fred!"

Then, a strangely eerie voice came from the Minicon as she transformed. "Oh I think you said something wrong," she said coolly, suddenly speaking in human tongue as she slowly pulled out of nowhere what looked like a huge, oaf-sized frying pan she probably had in her storage pack. "Better start riding fast, Billy-boy. And do you know what is my comment about your singing?"

"No?"

"If on American Idol, you would have been down to a ravaged scraplet's level when it comes to singing. And also… I believe this frying pan would also serve well into beating the crap out of you, in one second," When her optics suddenly flashed into an angered red, it was all of a sudden that Billy realised he just made one fatal mistake. Just as he started riding off at top speed on his bike, he didn't hear Sunstreaker screeching after him. Hearing this, he then began riding faster, but not fast enough.

And there, it was then he was sent flying when the Minicon struck him and his ride with her giant frying pan. And there, it was almost like he was sent to the stars above.

There was a sudden look of beady eyes, sweat drops and a look of sheer surprise from the five remaining kids, as the sound of _clang _rang out and the two little dots flying. And they stayed there for the time being for now, until Sunstreaker came riding back. Yet, a shocked Tomoyo was the first one to gain her voice back. "Uh, Sunstreaker? He isn't going to land on the Decepticon moon base. Is he?"

For a moment, it almost looked like Sunstreaker was about to switch to attack mode again. Instead, an anime-like, innocent lady-like look appeared on her face as she began chuckling and beeping at the same time. (Don't worry. Pretty soon, he's going to take a crash-landing at Autobot HQ.) And as quickly as that happened, they set off again, with Tomoyo on her ride. One comment then came from Carlos after that incident was, "Boy, she is scary when she's mad,"

"I certainly don't want to end up in her bad books," added Alexis, as Fred, REV, and Sureshock then had huge sweat drops now. "Me neither," said Rad. Hoping they wouldn't wind up with the same fate as Billy, the five remaining kids then rode on without a word.

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The moon…

It was normally the place were the famous astronauts like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on. It was the very place where humans first made contact with space. It was also the first time man has reached the moon.

But that was also the current Decepticon territory, unknown to three astronauts, who were exploring the place. They were currently searching for any other known sources of life, and they thought they could do it by first searching on the moon, thanks to a new device invented by some scientist of the Pentagon. It was their belief that they will find any decent life on this place. But that shall be their last time on this planet.

"Hey Corey, you don't think you and Jake can search out ahead in the buggy, would you?" asked one of them, as he just finished setting up the maintenance to the machine.

"Sure, Leon. Whenever you're ready. I just wanted to get myself prepared for this trip, though. I just can't see why NASA wanted us to search for any lifeforms out there on a dump like this," replied the astronaut, as he then hoped on.

"Apparently, one nutty explorer thought he noticed 'robots' on this moon before on the telescope," joked Jake. "But I don't know why we were chosen for that,"

Leon then smiled as he was done, and the other one hopped on. "He probably was faking it anyway. Just make sure if you've run into anything, contact me, ASAP, okay?"

"Right!" They cried, as they then rode off. "Hope we'll get some good pizza when we get home, correct?"

The other astronaut then nodded with happiness, as he then proceeded to return towards the space shuttle. He was quite happy that he was able to have an excellent experience in outer space, the same place where famous astronauts have explored. But at the same time, he felt a little sorrow since of the Challenger and Columbia disasters. While he was thinking about that, he then entered into the control room, and then decided to relax, thinking on how wonderful it was to be in space.

But it wasn't peaceful for long. A sudden beep on the radar then woke him up from his temporary dream, causing him to sit up quickly. What he saw next was quite unusual.

There on radar, a large object seems to be heading towards the shuttle. At first, Leon thought it was another space shuttle, also on exploration. But it was closing fast; it was obvious that this was no space shuttle on site, as he activated the camera outside.

Thoughts came into Leon's mind as he watched the object come closer. It can't be another space shuttle or a plane, would it? And secondly, why would an aircraft have legs? Like an insect…

Unfortunately, he didn't think for long as the space shuttle then disappeared under a barrage of laser fire.

_Over on the other side… _

Somewhere on the other side, Corey and Jake continued their expedition on the moon as their buggy slowly trudged along.

"Hey Jake, what did your wife and kids want you to get for them, anyway?"

"A rock from the moon as proof. And then the kids intend to bring it to their 'Show and Tell' project,"

"Hmm. Sounds like a good idea. There's nothing much going on as the usual for us, except for my wife getting a promotion at work. Hey Corey, what's that?"

They then stopped over at the cliff edge. Over the distance, they show what looked like the remains of a spaceship. But unknown to them, it was actually the remains of the Minicon ship, where the Decepticons were currently living out. A look of excitement then reached their faces. If, along with Leon told them of this, they would have been famous.

"I don't believe it… shall I tell Leon all this on what we have found?" asked a smiling Jake.

"Contact him, it's too good to be true!" cried Corey, as the latter then tried to contact him. But after what felt like a few seconds, there was no response but static. "What the…"

"What's wrong?"

"Something wrong's with the communications. I tried to patch in on Leon, but there is no response," replied Jake.

A worried look came onto Corey's face as he climbed out of the buggy. "Maybe it's because of the area we're in. I'll try to contact him again,"

"Be careful!" Jake called out, as his friend then went out somewhere. But that was the last time he would be careful…

Corey was only a few yards away, but he still had no contact. It was finally a waste of time for him when he decided to return to the buggy. However, the next thing came without warning. When he reached the buggy, strangely enough, somehow, Jake has disappeared.

"Shit," was all he said as he tried contacting him too. But it was no good as he angrily threw down the communicator. Even when he checked around, there were no footprints there. "What the hell… this isn't going to look good on the website," he growled to himself.

"Tell me again human," hissed out a voice from nowhere, "Why don't you try visit mine?"

Snapping, the remaining human then whirled around, trying to find the source of the voice, but found nothing. "W-w-who said that?" But the voice then taunted him again. "Nothing much. Just saying that this website of mine shall cost you your life. Or shall I say… my lunch?"

"What the…" was all he said until he then screamed. And as he did, some shadowy beast then attacked him. That was the last time he was seen, when the taunting voice chuckled out again. "Delicious. Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee,"

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The news didn't reach until later as the four kids then arrived at the Autobot HQ perimeters. When they arrived, they found Hotshot crouching at a flaming spot he found in the hallway. Actually, make that two. It was apparent that it was actually Billy and his BMX that lay smouldering on the ground.

"Uh, guys?" asked Hotshot as the kids then approached him. "What happened to Billy? And why does he have a huge bruise caused by some thing that humans call a…?"

Alexis apparently had a humble look on her face as she then approached the yellow mech. "A frying pan. Um, let's just say Billy's impatience got him into a lot of hot water with Sunstreaker, and she gave him a flight of his life,"

"So that's what happened. I don't want to wind up in her bad books after that,"

"Hey, that's what I said," whined Fred (which he didn't) as Grindor and Sunstreaker then walked up to the flaming corpse. Sunstreaker's smirk was still on her face. (Wake up time for the lazy bastard, shall we?)

(Um, might as well.) replied the Hispania boy's Minicon as reluctantly, both he and the Japanese's partner then poked him on the giant bruise. A second later…

"YYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" was heard all over the base. Even at the training room, Wipeout unfortunately, was hit on the head by Smokescreen's crane arm.

Later, when some of the kids were healed, especially Carlos's ears, Alexis's dizziness and Billy's giant bruise, Red Alert then decided to tell them and their Minicons some news involving the NASA team. And after that was done, eyes of shock then appeared on each of their faces.

"So what you were saying, is that the entire threesome were attacked?" asked Rad in surprise.

"That was correct," replied the medic. "But apparently, there were no images of any Decepticon attack that has happened at that time,"

"But you don't think there's another race of evil that would have done that? It is so lame," That was Carlos's response. But it was when Tomoyo has her say. "Wait, I thought you guys learned about the two other races, known as the Maximals and Predacons?"

A look of 'what?' came from the five kids. "Wait a second. There are more Transformers out there besides the…" began Alexis.

"…Autobots and (Ouch) the Decepticons?" finished Billy, despite his departing pain.

"Of course. I learnt them off Sunstreaker," And Scavenger then decided to tell them all about it. And as the minutes went by, the kids were then in surprise after that. "You were saying, that after being here for a while, we didn't hear about these two races, and that the ones that killed the astronauts, are Preda- what?" asked Carlos.

"Predacons," corrected Scavenger. "When it would be difficult for us sometimes to fight in vehicle mode, that's when the Maximals and Predacons come in, by Primus. Their beast modes much rival the Autobots and Decepticons when it comes to combat and terrain,"

"But the Predacons couldn't be that strong, could they?" asked Fred nervously, as he even he dropped the tiny chips packet Tomoyo switched before they set off.

"They might be," answered the Bulldozer. "And it's better that us Autobots put up our guard," And both Red Alert and Hotshot nodded. "I hope so," said Rad, along with High Wire, just as the klaxon then rang out at the base again. And it was then that the group, along with Wipeout and Smokescreen, then headed off to the command centre, where they have met up with Optimus Prime and Sparkplug. He was watching over the monitor at that time when the alarm sounded.

"Autobots! It seems that we now have another location sighted, this time in Alaska. Red Alert, can you try to find the location of the new Minicon, please?"

"Yes sir!" he cried, as he began finding the location. A few seconds later, a stronger signal was then found, as the medic then homed in on it. When he finally found it, his optics then widened in shock. There were actually two Minicon panels in the Alaskan cave. "Two Minicon panels are discovered on radar!"

"Good work! But looks like more help might be required since there might be some caverns that cannot be reached by us like the subway tunnel," replied Hotshot.

An idea then popped out in Rad's brain while he thought. "What do you say if we might as well help you for once?"

"Huh? You mean letting you guys come along?" asked Optimus with surprise. "Are you sure you'll be safe?"

"Well Hotshot did mention the cave could have some smaller spaces in which you guys probably couldn't manoeuvre in like in the subway tunnel last time, did he?" asked Carlos. "Besides," piped in Fred, "Maybe we could fit in some places like that. Other then that, I need to go to the bathroom,"

A serious look then appeared on Scavenger's face. "It might be a bit risky, you know. Although you might be able to be of some assistance, like Optimus mentioned before, the Decepticons still have the Star Sabre,"

Billy, despite the pain, leaped up. "Well who cares if Megatron has the sword? I only want to come because I'm the only one without a Minicon," That's when Wipeout then added his comment that would sting with his usual tone. "It seems you're not the only one who hasn't got one, but I don't whine about it, at least. Unlike a certain someone I know,"

"Wait a minute," cried Alexis in surprise. "You're not intending to do it like last time, are you?"

"Point taken," added Smokescreen. "But what so you think, sir?"

Red Alert then thought about it for a while. "Maybe they could come, for once. The chances of finding the Minicons could be much better if we split up in a labyrinth like this cave, including some tiny passageways,"

The decision finally reached Optimus. "It is settled then. Then can come, but you are all our responsibility. For now, let's just hope we can get to the two Minicons in time. Men, prepare for launch!"

"Yes sir!" roared out the cry from the rest of the group, as they all headed out to the launch gate. As they all did, Alexis happened to ask Tomoyo while catching up with the rest of the Autobots. "Tomoyo? Are you sure you'll survive the mission? I just got a bad feeling about this, you know,"

"What?" replied Tomoyo, sceptically as the kids reached the suit pads. "I only just wanted to come along since this is the first time I was involved. Besides, something out of the ordinary is what I probably require. Hey, this isn't bad on me!" she smiled, as her suit covered her, and the rest of the warriors then arrived at the warpgate. Each of the Autobots then transformed to vehicle mode, while the kids then rode on their bot of choice. With Rad, Carlos and Alexis in Optimus, Billy and Fred in Hotshot, while lastly, Tomoyo rode inside Wipeout, and finally, their Minicons then rode in Optimus's trailer.

"Two seconds has remained 'til warp," cried the Autobot leader, as they all prepared themselves. "Launch!" and he was the first to go.

"I'm right behind you!" yelled Hotshot as he was the second to go.

"We have lift off!" added Red Alert, being third.

"Let this rumble begin!" said Smokescreen in his tone.

"It's Showtime!" roared Scavenger.

"Here we go now," added Wipeout finally, as he brought up the rear. As the show was on the road, all of the Autobots then disappeared off to the Alaskan ice, hoping to reach the two Minicons there.

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Sleep was always one of the favourite things that our resident trigger-happy Decepticon always enjoys. That's how anyone can describe Cyclonus: always the type to prefer snoozing out of the need of duty. If snoozing was ever a school subject, that would be the one that he would get A+ out of. At that time, he was having a dream of collecting Autobot heads he destroyed, and was rolling in glory. He was obviously having a time of his life after destroying them all like some child not playing with his toys properly. But that dream was about to change when an alarm already sounded in his dream.

For a second, he was rushing out of the room, and heading towards the throne room of Megatron's in order to reach him, so he can take out more Autobots whenever he liked. However, as he ran, he continually ran in endless hallways, trying to reach his boss. Eventually, a few minutes later, he almost felt like he was going insane, while unable to find the throne room.

He checked in one room. Nothing.

And for the second time, no Megatron here. For many times, he went absolutely insane. "ARGH! MEGATRON? DEMOLISHOR? STARSCREAM? SIDEWAYS? SHATTERBELT? AWW SHOOT!" Make that, very pissed and cursed.

But just as he then decided to press the alarm, he was suddenly caught in some sort of net trap that dropped down from the ceiling. He had no time to scream as the net even wrapped his mouth shut so he could not speak properly. Then, he saw what looked like the most terrifying thing he saw.

What Cyclonus saw was in a form of a giant tarantula. Even though it was a little smaller than Megatron's tank mode, it was still terrifying. The helicopter wanted so badly to scream, but he couldn't because of the webbing. And then… the spider then faced him… and clicked its fangs as a certain meaning._Dinnertime… _

And then, the arachnid slammed its jaws just a few Cybertronian centimetres at the helicopter's back. And…

"NNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Cyclonus. But the pain never came. And he was back in reality. Facing five, no, make that four pissed off Decepticons, except Sideways. Then again, you can't tell what was the motorcycle's expression with that faceplate on.

"Do you have any reason why I have to put up with you and your incompetence?" roared Megatron. "By now, those foolish Autobots would have beaten us to the Minicon even if the alarm sounds in the future!"

"Look at him," jeered Demolishor. "Shows that he would have raided a shop humans call a chemist so he can steal all sleeping pills he want!"

Humbly, the trigger-happy Decepticon automatically bowed in front of his leader. "I'm so sorry s-sir! I promise I won't sleep during an alarm call or something! And how did I manage to get to the throne room like that?"

"Let's not jump out of line, Cyclonus," replied Sideways calmly as he leaned against the wall. "Besides, you missed out on two new additions,"

"And I don't think you stand much a chance with them, the scientist and the aerial assault warrior," added Starscream, while having a slight chuckle. "But the latter… was that the one you were dreaming about?" said Shatterbelt, finally. A confused look appeared on Cyclonus's face. "What do you mean?" But he was about to find out. And that was when a certain voice then sounded. "Look up,"

He did. "AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH! NOT THAT MOTHER$ING TARANTULA!" And there is the reason why. The same tarantula that attacked him in the dream has returned. And it was sniggering with a hint of creepiness. But it was no ordinary tarantula. It seemed almost like a mix of machine and organic material. Shining teal, toxic purple, jungle green, vacuum-metallised orange and midnight black covered it, including its eight spider legs. A strange, purple, robotic insectoid insignia was shining on its abdomen. And its eight eyes were gleaming for a scent of the hunt. In fact, it was a technorganic tarantula. And then, a buzzing sound then appeared from the hallway.

The buzzing sound came from in fact, a giant wasp as it entered the room. Unlike the latter however, it seemed mostly machine, with some parts of a F-16 Jet Fighter. Its red, black-vacuumed metallised gold body and translucent blue and gold wings shone as it was revealed in the light. It also has the same insignia. But it was flying very oddly, like the combined way on how a jet and a wasp flew. Or in other words, to some, it was flying like it wound up with turbulence.

"BZK! Waspinator is sorry he was late!" he buzzed, as he then cried out, "WASPINATOR - TERRORISE!"

The Transmetal wasp then began his transformation sequence, as the thorax revealed the legs, and the thorax then became a sort of leg armour. The hidden jet thrusters then became the arms, as the wasp head then flipped down to become the body armour, while revealing the head. But the head seemed no different either as he clumsily landed on the ground.

"You never cease to surprise me, Waspy. TARANTULAS - TERRORISE!" With a loud screech, the Technorganic spider transformed in negative energy, with some parts even shifting in a sort of 'morphing' effect. The thorax flipped down as the hidden robot legs were revealed. In addition, the spider legs then rotated to about 180 degrees so they faced forward, like guns. And finally, the abdomen released the arms, and the abdomen became the chest as the gruesome head was revealed. Two Minicons were also with them at the time, one being of a sleek design, even though not of a F-16 jet fighter, along with a heavily built warrior suited for heavy assault. Upon seeing the two warriors, the Decepticons guessed the names of the two.

"Tarantulas and Waspinator, my loyal Predacons, welcome to planet Earth!" crowed Megatron, upon seeing the new arrivals. "And I thank you for dragging that lazy lout Cyclonus out into the open,"

The scientist then bowed down, while promptly pulling the wasp down into the position. The two Minicons, Bombshell and Shrapnel, also did the same. "We are proud to be in your service, Lord Megatron. And we could do with exploring this vile planet. I just hope the prey is just as tasty as those foolish astronauts that had landed before, wasn't it?"

Waspinator then buzzed with excitement. "Goody! Waspinator loves challenge and Minicon collecting!"

Cyclonus was not amused with the arrival. "Hey, wait a second! Are you saying you're letting web-head and bugsy join us?" But a look of annoyance from Megatron then silenced him. "They were called in as reinforcements. These two were the best duo for the job, but yet, I daresay that Waspinator could do with some help with schooling,"

"But sir!" whined Waspinator. "Waspinator can try to work undependantly!"

"It's independently, Waspy. And just because we manage to succeed as one, it doesn't mean I'm with you all the time. I apologise about Waspinator here. He would have been a bit more effective if he doesn't have the brain of a six-year old human morsel,"

Clicking his fingers sceptically, a bemused grin appeared on the Decepticon leader's face. "Ah, yes. But don't worry. Waspinator will certainly get smarter," But an added thought came into mind. _If web-head certainly educated him properly, that lout would still be pain in the backside. _And that is when the alarm sounded out, and Shatterbelt then raced to the control panel. After what felt like a few seconds…

"Lord Megatron! We have detected two more Minicons on radar in the Alaskan ice!" After hearing that, Megatron looked serious. "These Minicons have to be found before these pathetic Autobots reach them. I will not stand any incompetence from any of you, at all costs!"

"Yes sir!" As by three by three, each of the six Decepticons and two Predacons entered the warpgate. And while they were at it, a thought reached Tarantulas's brain as he warped to the Alaskan ice. _Foolish tread-head. Let's see him train Waspinator by himself if he can. _

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The Alaskan ice may be of the same terrain as the Antarctic cold the Autobots found Jetstorm in, but is was not as cold as that at least when the six Autobots, the kids, and the Minicons warped in. As they entered, many sightings were seen as they searched for the signal to the cave. Many creatures, like the wolves, rabbits and artic foxes, headed off to a safe distance as the six vehicles charged through the terrain. For some of the Autobots' occupants, they didn't mind the cold but for others, it was another matter.

"It sure feels so familiar like when we went to the Antarctic, didn't we, amigo?" asked Carlos, as he took a peak out the window of Optimus's truck cab.

"For sure!" added Alexis. "But I wish we can still see some penguins around here now." Rad then turned towards her. "Hey don't worry, maybe there's be some others like the rabbits, wolves, and so on," He then contacted the others. "How's it going round the back?" But he then gained a response of "Achoo!"

"Don't t-t-t-tell u-u-u-us," shivered Billy uncontrollably. "We're h-h-handling I-I-it j-j-j-just f-f-f-fine!" And just when the whining couldn't get any higher… "I-I-I-I-I w-w-w-want m-m-my a-a-a-Aloe v-v-v-Vera t-t-tissues!" whined Fred in addition, which caused Hotshot to groan. "Alright you guys, if you don't want any sickness inside, the heater shall be on right…now!" And the boys sighed in relief. For Wipeout however, it was another matter, but it wasn't as bad.

"Pity. Galaxus could have at least taught me to handle the cold some more. I don't really give a damn even though my altitude controls are frozen. Are you alright in there, Tomoyo?" A smile appeared onto the girl's face. "I always loved winter as my favourite time of year when I lived in Japan. Maybe I'll let you visit it one day!" she chirped.

"You really are the brave and happy-go-lucky type of human when it comes to the weather, aren't you?" he asked. "Hai!" chirped back the reply, just as Red Alert then shouted, "We have spotted cave entrance, 12 o'clock!"

"Nice work! We just have to hope that the Decepticons didn't reach the site first!" And there, at the entrance, the kids and the five Minicons hopped out while the Autobots transformed to robot mode. When they first saw it, it seemed larger than what was expected.

"Well what do ya know," breathed Smokescreen as the Autobots awaited out the entrance. "I guess it isn't as big as what Hotshot mentioned earlier,"

"Yeah, but who knows? Never judge a good book by its cover. There might be some newer paths that we haven't explored," said Scavenger seriously. Optimus then issued out his orders. "Just in case we might run into a fork inside, we might as well either split into two or three groups. Nevertheless, we all have to be on guard," And all of the Autobots entered inside the cave. But they failed to be on guard just a faint cry rang from out the icy wasteland. Tomoyo only noticed the cry just as she and the other kids hopped onto their Minicons, minus Billy and his nearly carnaged BMX, as they headed deeper inside the cave.

Meanwhile, from where the scream came from, the Decepticons and Predacons were staking out the Autobots' trail as they watched. It turns out that Tarantulas has just started feasting on a Grizzly bear he has just killed, and he wasn't letting poor Waspinator get one single bite.

Starscream was annoyed at the lunchtime the Predacon feasted half on. "ARGH! Are you ever gonna stop munching every living being in sight, Tarantulas? You are definitely going to end up like that wretched blubber-guts of the Autobots one of these days!"

Cyclonus, however, was even daring to say, "Looks like you can poison a pack of wolves with your venom rather than Autobot scum, tee hee!" Unfortunately, an angry glint appeared on the eight eyes and the helicopter Decepticon backed away quickly. Sideways however, was surveying the situation. "Do we got any other plans of a surprise attack on them, Megatron?"

"Ah yes, Sideways. There are times where we have to plan at a lot more quickly. But we have to split into two groups in order to find them. Cyclonus, Tarantulas, Waspinator and Starscream, enter the cave! Shatterbelt, try drilling a hole large enough for the rest of us to be a step ahead of those meddlesome Autobots, and hurry!" barked out Megatron. "Yes sir!" and the former Autobot was then powerlinked with Movor as he quickly started digging a way in. Cyclonus, however, was quite reluctant. "Megatron, can't you at least let me swap with…" he began.

"Stop pestering me Cyclonus. That is probably the last time I've had to put up with your whining since Tarantulas arrived. Now get back to work, and quit acting like a human orgasm! That means you too Tarantulas, and move out!"

"Yes sir," the tarantula growled without question, as he departed his meal, with Waspinator following him. Annoyed, Tarantulas thought that this was one of the many tastes of Planet Earth that were quite interesting at that time other than human meat. While he was at it, the Transmetal wasp only just had time to nick a piece of bear meat and eat it before being hit on the head by Demolishor, as he went past. As for that, Megatron sent the grunt out to help Shatterbelt, while contemplating on how wonderful it will be to obtain two new Minicons on this one day.

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"Sure would have been nice if we were equipped with some decent equipment at that time. This winter chill is starting to bite big time inside this cave,"

That was Hotshot saying it as the rest of the Autobots and humans continued entering the depths of the location. The interior, showed signs that maybe its inhabitants lived there at one time, by the looks of the ravaged remains of any dead beings. But even though the stench remained, there was no sign of any more bears in the cave. And Carlos has a nervous feeling about this.

"You said it! These bones make me feel like I'm jelly now. It's disgusting!" Grindor then patted him on the back. (Don't try to show fear! We are a team remember?) And the Hispania boy smiled a little. "Well I guess you're right," And then…

Crack. "AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!" as Fred screamed as he stepped onto what looked like a recently mutilated rabbit skull lying on the icy floor. "I want to go home now!" And a hit on the head by REV 's fist settled him down. (Stop whining. If you wanted to go home, what was your choice coming here in the first place?)

"Settle down, REV. If there were infighting, we would be in serious trouble. Ah, so there's a fork now," pointed out Red Alert, and he was correct. Now all they have to do is to decide on the best route to finding the two Minicons. And it was Optimus who decided carefully.

"It looks like we don't have much choice on this. As mentioned before, we could split up, so we have a better chance at finding it. Wipeout, Hotshot, Scavenger, take the left fork and protect the kids and the Minicons, while the rest of us go to the right. I just hope nothing terrible happens to us next,"

"Don't worry about a thing, Optimus! We're gonna be just fine!" piped in Billy. "Okay, but be careful," came the reply, as the two teams headed out to their own path, and so to search for the two Minicons they require.

So, the sound of the other team disappeared as the kids' group continued deeper into the cave. To one adventurer, it would be one tunnel that would almost seem so endless, like leading into an uncertain path. For many years, this is one cave that would never have been disturbed, like that of a previous race that lived there. But lately, even with the cracks in there, Wipeout still seemed to keep his cool at that time. "These walls… what could have caused this to happen like this?"

"What I want to know, it this: When is this tunnel going to end?" growled Hotshot. "It's already been about five minutes now!"

Scavenger chided him in his normal manner. "Patience is a virtue after all, Hotshot. It would have been wise not to rush things too quickly. You normally tend to shoot first, and answer questions later, which is your disadvantage,"

"All right already. The Minicon panels should show up on the signal soon, I hope. Five more minutes, and my circuits are gonna freeze!"

While going past, Rad also thought about the cracks as well while walking alongside High Wire. "There wasn't an earthquake recently, was there, Alexis?"

"Don't look at me. It would have been heard on the news by now. What do you think Sureshock?" And the Minicon's reply was a no. Sunstreaker also asked Tomoyo that very same question, as Rad. Tomoyo seemed softened at that time. "Unfortunately, that does happen in Japan sometimes, since it was in part of an area called the ring of fire. Many people would have been injured, left homeless, or even worse – death. The constant sorrow – it would have been enough for someone to die of emotional pain of losing a loved one,"

(A loved… one?)

"How should I say this? If it were someone in a family, relative or a long-time friend who has trusted and cared for you that would be considered a loved one. To lose one, it would be constant torment and sadness. That would be how people's emotions break down because of that, whether it would be the death of a disease, a disaster, etc,"

(Break down? But… it could be overcome, would it?)

The Japanese faced her partner. "Sometimes you have to overcome it even though it would stay there. But it is not a memory that can be locked away and be forgotten," But while she was talking, she didn't notice a camouflaged shape creeping slowly above the ceiling of the cave, chuckling to himself.

It was then that Carlos noticed something up above. "Hey you guys, I found something! Something's glowing up there!" The group stopped at where he pointed out. Up above them, about Scavenger's height, what looked like a glowing object was seen above them. It was one that Billy recognised quite quickly as he rode his bike to the spot. "I don't believe it! A Minicon! And it shall be mine!" And stars began twinkling in his eyes, while the rest of the kids have sweatdrops on their heads.

The group was waiting there, deciding on how they could try to retrieve the Minicon panel at that height. This type of wall is the type not to be taken lightly, as even if Scavenger climbed up the face of it, he would have slipped down the icy surface. What would have been required would have been the use of flight power, and teamwork.

"THIS MINICON BELONGS TO ME NOW!" whined Billy as he then began climbing up it immediately, before even the others stopped him. But unfortunately, he only reached a few yards off the floor until he slipped down from the ice even though there were some ledges for gripping the ice. With a groan, he wound up landing on his butt on the cave floor. "See what Scavenger meant, Hotshot? That would have been you," sighed Alexis in dismay.

Wipeout then stepped up to the wall. "Let me have a shot. Maybe my jets will do the job. But unless I could get my blades through that spot, it's wedged there real good," He then turned to the Street Action Minicon Team. "I don't suppose you little guys could be of some help, would you?"

The three Minicons then nodded as their optics then flashed. With a blink of an eye, High Wire, Grindor, and Sureshock then combined to form the Minicon gestalt, that some of the Cybertronian warriors would have known: By the name of Perceptor. A curious look came from Tomoyo as she watched. "So then, who's he?"

(His name's Perceptor, a Minicon gestalt formed by the Street Action Team. Perceptor is usually the known symbol when it comes to unleashing a individual's full potential, even though smaller than his Autobot allies.) That was Rollbar's explanation as the combiner hopped onto Wipeout's hand. "You all set? Good, here we go," And on the sides, his Hellfire wings/jetpack activated itself, as he then flew to the spot desired. They were about that level, when the Comanche issued out his orders that they must do after he was done. Carefully, with one blade, he scrapped away the spot so not only it would be easy for Perceptor to pull out the Minicon Panel, but to clear it out without a slight amount of damage. After what felt like a minute and a few seconds, the panel was freed, and Wipeout descended to the ground.

"You got it?" asked Hotshot, after the warrior gave the panel to the kids and let Perceptor off his hand.

"Yep. That's one Minicon found, and one more to go,"

"Great!" Added Carlos. "So what's our next move?"

Scavenger then looked like he had a worried look on his face as he probably sensed something. "Then we better make contact, and quickly. I'd say we'd get out of here and met up with Optimus as soon as possible," But a voice then stopped him even though he hasn't moved a step.

"They're got the Minicon! Waspinator, Starscream, Cyclonus, switch to attack mode and break down their defences!" And all of a sudden, Cyclonus, Waspinator and Starscream flew in with their guns blazing, with the helicopter laughing manically. "Yee hah! Time for you bots to eat lasers, suckers!"

"We've been followed! Protect the kids or we're history!" Yelled Scavenger, as he powerlinked with Rollbar and unleashed his Dozer Cannon. Growling with grit, Wipeout pulled out his Laser Vulcan Cannon and started firing away, while trying to stay under cover his rotor shield. "How did the slag the clowns find us this quickly? We're sitting ducks out there now!" yelled Hotshot, as he also powerlinked with Jolt and fired his guns.

"Sorry about that, because you're about to get one more! TERRORISE!" And a loud screech erupted as Tarantulas leaped down and transformed into robot mode. Sneering for the challenge, he then started firing his leg guns in a machine gun-like fashion at the group, forcing them to take cover once again, and Waspinator also transformed into robot mode. The kids and the Minicons quickly took shelter as a storm of laser fire rained from each side.

"It can't be… are those two bugs with Cyclonus and Starscream… Predacons?" cried Rad in question. But the next thing that silenced him automatically was a stray blast near the kids' hiding spot as ice nearly fell.

Wipeout, who only just fired a set of rounds, yelled back, "There's four of them and three of us. We can't let you guys get hurt in the crossfire at a time like this!" And quickly, he just managed to avoid a shot from Tarantulas.

"Kids! Get out of here while you still can!" Shouted Scavenger. "We'll try to handle it from here!"

"But what about you?" cried Alexis as she hesitated for a moment. "We can't just leave…"

"Just go!" finished Hotshot, and a laser shot scraped his upper arm. With no other choice, the kids and the five Minicons quickly carried the panel, even noticing that Waspinator spotted it. At that time, he was almost hit by a Dozer Cannon blast by Scavenger before he even had time to powerlink with Shrapnel, who flew into the battlefield in Bi-plane mode. But nevertheless, his right stomach region was blown partially. Bombshell however, didn't even flinch as ice showered him while charging in his anti-aircraft tank mode, as he fired away at the trio, along with Crumplezone and Swindle's arrival. The last time Alexis managed to look, Tarantulas's shadow moved quickly, as in attack mode.

It was later when the smaller group had reached a new hiding spot far away from the battle, many of them managed to sit down and rest for a time being. For now, they could only hope that the three Autobots could hold their foes off their backs as they carried the Minicon Panel to safety to hidden ground. Hopefully, when the time is right, they could try to contact the others for help just in case.

"W-w-who are those bugs?" whined Fred, who was puffing the most after the kids' temporary escape. "And where's my dinner?"

"Will you be quiet already Fred? It's not like we're made it out alive just yet, you know!" growled Alexis, as she turned to Rad next. "Hey Rad, do you have Laserbeak with you? We've got to call for reinforcements, and quickly!"

"Just hold on a second, Alexis. I'm recording our position just in case the Autobots need to find us next. Okay, Laserbeak, good luck, and be careful!" And just after Rad did his job, he then dispatched the bird to do his own, while hoping the Autobots will come to their aid as soon as possible.

Carlos then spoke next. "Hey guys, you don't think these two guys were employed by Megatron, do you? I mean, by the sounds of it, these two bugs definitely need to go back to their own hive. Hey, where's the panel?" he asked. A next response from Billy came as he was hugging the panel with glee in a goo-goo-gaa-gaa expression.

"Don't worry my precious! Daddy will look after you from the Decepticons!"

"Okay, now Billy's gone nuts," sighed Carlos in dismay. "That Minicon isn't gonna come alive by just hugging it, you know!"

"Just shut up and let me activate it, then!" snapped Billy, but he did what Carlos said. Alexis was shaking he head, looking troubled. "Sometimes I wondered if 'Girly-man' was actually meant to have a Minicon,"

"Don't worry!" smiled Tomoyo as she patted her hand on her friend's shoulder. "At least we all have our Minicons now, for the time being,"

"You really are the optimist as usual, are you?" came the reply, as suddenly, the panel began to glow. As it did, the usual rainbow pillar of light rose, as a new figure then appeared. When it did however after floating to the ground, many of the kids were shocked.

It was almost as if one of the Decepticons must have used it many years ago, because it's face… nearly had a similar appearance to that of Starscream's except with a blue visor on it's face, in addition to the odd headset-like accessory to it and a pair of angled horns on its head. In a sleek design, this warrior was a bot suited mainly for speed. Being white in colour, it also had some colours of blue and black, like its Generation 1 predecessor. And finally, its wings glowed without a hint of dust on it. However, Sunstreaker seemed to know that figure well. All too well. And she got her answer when the Minicon set his optics on her.

(SUNNY!) cried the new Minicon in joy, as he rushed in and hugged her, as it was so long ago since they were comrades. However, as he did hug her, all he received was a smack to his face by her fist. As he fell, High Wire's face suddenly went blank. (What was all that about?)

(An old crush of yours?) joked Grindor, while Sureshock tried hard not to crack up.

(If you would to stop gasbagging around,) growled Sunstreaker, (This Romeo-on-Wheels here goes by the name of Jazz, the music addict. If anybody didn't know.)

REV was shaking his head in addition. (How could we forget? Just because you were the leader of the Future Stunt Team doesn't mean he'd stop having a crush on you, despite him being loyal.)

At that time, the kids listened in on what was the conversation about. And though they tried hard not to laugh at the response either, Billy and Fred lost it, causing the futuristic motorcycle to inflict bruises of black and blue.

"I thought it was rather cute, but I know how you feel. It's not a laughing matter in your point of view," chuckled Tomoyo, as she watched the new Minicon stand up. With a smile, he cried, (So then, who's the future partner who woke me up, Fearless Leader? I can't wait to meet him or her!)

The fist that hit him pointed out in Billy's direction. Now, the former bully looked as he would regret this. "So, why are you named Jazz?"

(Reason why? I love great music! It is one of the best things that keeps me going all the time, other than Energon! So what's your name, kid?)

"O-Okay. C-call me Billy," he said, as he reluctantly held out his hand, and the music-addicted Minicon shook it eagerly. (How nice to see you! Do you have a vehicle mode that I can scan, and what music do you like?)

"You can use my bike you know, if you can use it. Normally I listen to any metal, techno bands, etc. of my choice," And with a cheer, Jazz began walking up towards the BMX. But as he did, a rumbling sound came up.

"Fred, was that you stomach again?" demanded Alexis, as she wheeled he eyes towards the boy.

"It's not me Alexis. Speaking of that, I am getting kind of hungry…"

"Can't you zip those cravings for once amigo? That wasn't the kind of rumbling sound I heard," replied Carlos. If Fred's stomach had any sort of powers, he would have cause the earth to shake. However, that was just wishful thinking as it wasn't his stomach causing the noise. "I think we'd should get out of here, and quickly!"

But it was too late. Who should appear were three of the quartet, minus Tarantulas, around the corner just as Jazz began his scanning process, with the Starscream in the lead. Sniggering, his mechanical hand reached for the Minicon, but one of his fingers touched the BMX. In a surprising turn of events, he was scanned as well, as Rad then shouted out, "Everybody move! And don't let them get their hands on you!"

But Billy didn't move. "Wait up Rad, Jazz hasn't finished scanning yet!" but the Minicon already confirmed it. As he did, he then transformed into something that resembled a combination of a hovercycle and Starscream's futuristic jet mode. In fact, it was a jet-powered hovercycle, as Billy hopped on. Since there was no need for the abandoned bike, the six kids and the Minicons sped off. After all, who would want a vehicle that would have been crushed under one foot by the enemy anyway?

"Is this how it always turn out?" growled Rad over the noise of laser fire. It was bad enough that two flying vehicles and a giant insect chased after them, and now, they hoped to reach the Autobots in time, while laser fire zapped at them. Even at their highest speed their pursuers showed no signs of recharge.

"If we don't find a better hiding spot, we'll all be sitting ducks out there!" added Alexis, as they now entered a downward trail in the cave. At that time, Sureshock was second following Highwire, with Tomoyo, Carlos, Fred, and Billy coming close behind. Since Jazz only managed to obtain a vehicle mode just in time, he and Billy were trailing behind and in danger of being captured first. And that is was happened when a smoking Waspinator grabbed hold of the Minicon by the wheels with his front legs, and Billy screamed.

"Could you get this wasp off please?" he cried haplessly.

(Why not?) came the reply, as he powered his jets even further, with the flames licking at the Predacon's face. Although Waspinator put up a good fight, his face and some of his eyes where eventually burnt by the attempt, and he was forced to let go. By the time Starscream and Cyclonus attempted to help their comrade, the kids were gone. But what the kids didn't know was that they were chased into another trap.

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The sounds of battle…

Those were the sounds the now-awoken entity heard, as he still lay dormant inside his icy tomb. Something that urged the being to continue freeing himself so he can fight alongside his comrades. Even if he froze to death, his spark will still live on.

But he did not have any intention on going into stasis lock for nothing either. His determination and desire to feel the fresh air of this planet gave him the newfound strength to fight on. The gears in his body may have been immobile for a while, but they were working hard to free the being from this frozen cage.

At first, he strained against the ice to free himself, but to no avail. But still, he fought on. And after many tries of moving against the ice, he found a miracle as the ice cracked under the pressure. He continued doing so as he became closer to tasting the smell of freedom, even though ice is his element.

Finally, on his third strike, the cool air surrounded him as he came out of his prison. Sighing in relief, his nose already caught the scent of laser fire that was exchanged inside. With the screams he heard, it sounded like trouble. After scanning the alternate mode of his choice, he decided it would be time to test it out on any Decepticon, or Predacon that got in his way.

And so, now freed from his tomb, he decided to head off and investigate the source of the sounds of battle he so eagerly awaited for.

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"Any sign of the Minicon yet?"

"We're nearly close, sir. It's just that I'm concerned about the kids, that's all. You don't think the Decepticons have a new plan for obtaining the two Minicons do they?" asked Red Alert.

"Don't worry about a thing," replied Smokescreen, "Wipeout, Scavenger and Hotshot are with them, and they'll handle themselves quite well!"

But Optimus was nearly like Red Alert at that moment. As they walked along the passage a few minutes ago, time and time again, he thought he heard laser fire from the distance. And the look of concern hasn't left his face even when he had that faceplate of his on. "I don't know about that, men. I have a distinct feeling that something must have happened after we split up,"

That was when Sparkplug pointed out that Laserbeak has arrived. The little bird triple-changer headed towards them at full speed, just as he reached the group. "What's up, Laserbeak?" asked Optimus. But the little bird was wasting no time as his wires attached themselves on Red Alert's arm. And that was when the recording was played on the wall about Rad's message. Now Smokescreen's face has changed. "Oh, I was expecting a message from the kids alright… but now, I kind of wish that message wouldn't have been played,"

Red Alert then turned towards Optimus. "So what do we do now, Optimus? We're now stuck between the choice of the Minicon and the kids, but what's our highest priority, sir?"

"Hmm. I guess with the played message, the kids obtained one of the two Minicons. Right now, it looks like one of us would have to go and save them. Smokescreen, could go and search for the others while we reach the Minicon before Megatron does?"

"Yes sir!" they cried, but no sooner that they said that, an explosive blast came, and Megatron and his group entered the site.

"Quite interesting on how the newest scenarios of graveyards go, Optimus," chuckled the leader. "I just hope the cold could eat you into scrap once I'm through with you, my friend. Demolishor, Sideways, Shatterbelt, crush them!"

"Oh phooey. And I thought Wipeout would be with them," but the driller wasted no time as he, the Decepticons and their Minicons unleashed a barrage of firepower at the three Autobots, who had no choice but to take cover and try to prevent them from reaching the Minicon. As Optimus duelled Megatron, who had the Star Sabre with him once again, he thoughts only focused on the kids' safety and that he hoped to reach them in time, as soon as possible, with much concern in his mainframe.

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Being cyber-venomed and laser-roasted is what Hotshot never liked, being in a condition like this. It only happened while Scavenger and Wipeout still continued holding down the fort when three of the quarter managed to slip through, and the youth was dispatched to save the kids. As he struggled through the cavern with Jolt powerlinked by his side, he wondered about how the two warriors would make it out of that situation. And the opponent they were facing currently was one who was feared by friend and foe alike, even in a two or more versus one situation. Even worse, the three warriors caused a rockslide behind him so that Hotshot was forced to take another path.

He continued to trudge along despite the toxin's effects. It was still pumping effectively, and suddenly, the result hit him so hard, his entire superstructure could not respond to him. Choking in frustration and pain, he struggled to block the poison as effectively as possible. But even so, Jolt was also affected. And the strength to resist it seemed to weaken so much after the first round with Tarantulas. And unknown to the kids, they were unaware what is happening to their friend, upon arrival. For now, all they were aware of was that they found their friend when they neared his location.

"Isn't it strange we would have lost them this quickly?" came Tomoyo's voice after the chase. "Only three of them decided to come after us for the scare,"

Rad's voice was the next to sound out. "Come to think of it, I thought Tarantulas would have been with them by at that time, but he couldn't have slunk off for an easier prey,"

"Rad, for all we know, since he seem to stay behind, he could have probably been setting out a trap for us for the time being," piped in Alexis, but she and the others were also alerted by Carlos, who was on Grindor crying out, "Hey guys! We found Hotshot, but he looks to be banged up quite badly!" And there, the rest of the kids found him, crouching on the ground in pain. Or what looked like pain, for that matter, as they approached him.

"Are you all right, Hotshot?" asked Billy, arriving on Jazz, with Fred and REV behind him. But little did they know, it wasn't actually Hotshot speaking to them. As the yellow mech stood up, not only he had a blank stare on his face, he seemed to stand up without and signs of pain in his voice.

"I am fine. But the others are in danger as we speak. Wipeout and Scavenger sent me to search for you guys when three of the enemy came after you,"

That was when a transformed Sureshock noticed some dots on his back. Two dots she knew were obviously not normal on him. (Hey, what's that on your back? That spider didn't…)

"Don't worry. It'll heal soon enough. I just wanted to see if you're all right…" but he then collapsed under the venom effect, which the kids did not know that something else was at work. Fred then cried out in despair, "Oh no, is Hotshot going to be okay? I want to go home now!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's just hope that Wipeout and Scavenger are okay!" and before anybody could stop him, Carlos was already running down the path, with Grindor after him. Having no other choice, Rad, Alexis, Tomoyo and their partners went after them, but not after telling Billy, Fred, Jazz and REV to look after Hotshot.

In each of their minds, their thoughts were the same, with concern in their minds for their friends. When they reached the site where Jazz was found, they were greeted with a horrible sight. Now, most of the cavern was covered in white strands, like some sort of sticky adhesive. It was almost like a spider web, but in a glowing, bluish, Cybertronian colour. When some of the light from a ceiling crack shone down, they saw where the two Autobots were; they were in a worse condition as they arrived.

Wipeout was hanging down from the ceiling, bound by the web that covered him, as he was offline. His condition wasn't good, and he was in the worst situation yet while having bite marks to his arm. As Sunstreaker and Grindor walked around, they found weapon remains that must be that of the Comanche's Vulcan Cannon.

At least Scavenger wasn't that badly damaged that what Wipeout was, despite being buried, bitten and web-covered. A hole near the cavern wall showed that it was recently damage, and some remains of energy has been used. From what Sureshock could conclude, the Decepticons and Predacons must have set a Concussion timed mine to one second, which is probably how he was knocked out. "No. They weren't…" started Rad.

(They were cyber-venomed.) concluded High Wire. (Wipeout suffered the most I'm afraid, but Scavenger's condition is not as bad.)

"So how could they be beaten as quickly as that? How strong would that giant arachnid be?" demanded Carlos.

Grindor walked up to the boy after checking out Wipeout. (We're dealing with an opponent that is a one-bot swarm, one that can defeat a group with decisive action. Sureshock, do we have any solutions about this?)

(Sorry, Grindor, there nothing much we could do now.) said the scooter grimly as she poked the web with a fallen icicle where it became stuck there. (This web Tarantulas has generated, it is one of the strongest adhesives ever used. Alexis, you heard what I…)

But the girl's voice cried out in a scream as the now-shocked Minicon whirled around. She only managed to look just in time as her partner was snared in the same metallic blue web as the two Autobots just now. And it seems that isn't just it's beginning.

"Alexis!" screamed Tomoyo, as a familiar chuckle came over from a hidden ledge. That was when Tarantulas made his entrance into the light.

"I see you decided to show up just in time, considering that my last meal wasn't all that great for first-class dining. I'll be more than happy to make you scream,"

Rad ran up towards the spot were Alexis was before. "Let her go! She never did anything to you, so what do you want?"

The arachnid clicked his mandibles with glee. "I could almost believe you for a moment, but she has provided with a more suitable taste I could try. Not that these astronauts aren't much suitable at all, and it would be long now,"

"You sick leech!" growled Alexis, and as she was near him at that time, she attempted to kick his lights out. But she was suddenly immobilised as the blue web began to pulse out in a heartbeat-like manner. "What did you do to me…?"

"You're in a stasis web. It drains away the energy but leaves the flesh alive. At it's current setting this will take only a few moments, about 69 percent to go… until I feast,"

(Your sickness is all I could stand, eight-eyes!) At that moment, that was when Sunstreaker made her move. In a rapid-fire motion, her wrist-mounted photon cannons were aimed right at both the web and Tarantulas, in full firing force. The first amount of shots hit the spider first, and the second amount sliced through the web, freeing Alexis from her predicament. Since she was on Tarantulas's temporary ledge, she slowly began gaining speed from her descent.

Unfortunately, just as Sunstreaker made her move to save the girl, she was blocked by an explosive blast, almost knocked out. When she turned around however, she was in quite a shock.

The one who fired the Dozer Cannon shot was none other than Scavenger, with the smoking hip barrel. In disbelief, she couldn't believe that the Cybertronian Instructor would do anything like that. But what she actually saw was some device attached to the side of his head that she could identify. (No… not a…)

"A cerebro shell," sneered Tarantulas, who safely hung on to a ledge. "Cyber-Venom isn't my only weapon I've got. I can also control and manipulate anyone I like with this device," And with that, he fired a silk strand, which tripped Sureshock over just as she reached Alexis. But nevertheless, she managed to catch her until being bombarded again. This time, it was Hotshot who was being manipulated. He didn't hold any hostages, but Billy, Fred, and their Minicons were running away from him. "We were waiting for you guys, and then Hotshot suddenly attacked us for no reason!" cried Billy, as Fred began whining again.

(Guys… how about a little less talking and finding a solution to free the puppet here?) stammered Jazz nervously.

"Not you too, Hotshot!" yelled Carlos in horror, but he did not say another word as he was attacked by Hotshot's powerlinked missile launcher, along with Grindor. Wipeout was now standing up, but not in the kind of state he's in, as he was affected by the cyber-venom. His movement were nearly that of a zombie at the moment, and the only weapon he's got in his hand was his fan shield. Rad tried to help Alexis and Sureshock, but Tarantulas caught him and High Wire in a net trap. Billy and Fred unfortunately ended up being trapped on some stray web stands by the spider as they tried to help them, and later surrounded by Crumplezone, Swindle, Bombshell, and Shrapnel. As for Tomoyo, her only means of escape disappeared when a shot from Waspinator's stinger gun sent her flying into the cavern wall, as she was nearly knocked out when the wasp, Starscream and Cyclonus returned.

"Tee hee, this is too easy so far! Anyone got a bargaining chip to help exchanging the brats for all the Autobots' Minicons? I can't wait for Megatron to see the damage we did!" chuckled Cyclonus when he checked out the scene.

Starscream shook his head. "You didn't do the web-lining, Cyclonus. It was Tarantulas who did the work. And now that that's done, I believe we'll start this deal as soon as Megatron is done with the remaining three,"

"Please let me obtain the Minicons for Megatron, Starscream," buzzed Waspinator, but he received an annoyed response.

"Then promise me to modify that whining voice of yours in return, bug boy!" he yelled, as the wasp made his way to his nearest target, Grindor and Carlos. But just as he did, his head was then dented by a thrown rock of ice. There, even though Tomoyo was slightly winded, she was standing up with anger on her normally gentle face.

"Don't you dare do that just yet," she coughed, "I'm still standing… Do you think an insect like you could perform a single job like that on your own?"

Transforming into robot mode, Tarantulas descended down as he aimed his own gun at the girl. "Your will, I'm impressed with… but now, you're the first to go," And he fired his same life-absorbing web fluid at her. For a moment, as Carlos watched in horror, he saw that his saviour was about to get taken out first, and he wasn't fast enough. But…

Just as Tomoyo was about to get caught, a gold blur came… and at the last minute, Sunstreaker pushed the partner out of the way just as she was caught partially in the web herself. The Minicon struggled to move, just as the web began throbbing and she gasped in pain. In horror, as Tomoyo saw that happening, she ran towards her friend in both worry and concern. "No, Sunstreaker!"

"Please, leave me… That's the least I could do since you reactivated me before at the High Desert," she stammered in English tongue. "I don't want you, or any other human, to wind up being involved with the spreading war from Cybertron,"

"Why did you decide to save me like that? Please tell me!"

The Minicon lifted her head slowly, since of the web's effect. "I did what I had to do. You humans… even if you died earlier, I have more life than you for now, and I don't want to be a burden to you… Tomoyo-chan…" And suddenly, she hung limp, in front of Tomoyo's eyes. Now, Cyclonus was laughing at the sight.

"Aw, isn't it sweet? This is much like a family moment. Now it's my turn to obtain that Minicon first!"

The girl turned around in sadness of the scene that wasn't how it was turn out to be. Her friends… they were either in danger of being captured, killed, or used in slavery and bargaining. From that look, she did not want anyone to die… along with what happened to her sister.

She saw Rad nearly half drained of his energy… Carlos struggling to stand up… Alexis being supported by Sureshock… Billy caught grimly and Fred whining again… while the rest of the Minicons were nearly knocked offline.

_I made a vow never to loose a friend in life… no. Make that more them one friend in my life. Please… help me… _

"SUNSTREAKER!"

For about two seconds, nothing happened. And then suddenly, each of the children's Minicons' optics became active. And then, a miracle happened, as each of them came free.

At the last moment, a new sequence began with the Street Action Team beginning to form Perceptor as usual. But this time, the sequence came with a new turn: As Sureshock formed the legs; REV became a pair of rocket thrusters. Grindor formed the torso the same time Jazz became a jet pack with wings, and they attached themselves to the skateboard and merged with the first two. Finally, as High Wire formed the head, Sunstreaker transformed into a new set of shoulder-mounter cannons for the Minicon to use. When that was done, what was once Perceptor formed, now with new weapons, accessories, and a new voice.

"PERCEPTOR, BATTLE MODE – INITIALISED!"

"What the…" cried Starscream. "When did this happen?" but no answer was given to him as the newly formed Minicon combiner started his attack, first freeing Rad from his clutches. He then began distracted the four Minicons with breakneck speed, thus freeing Billy and Fred, and began attacking the army. The possessed Autobots tried to attack, but the new Minicon's speed and manoeuvrability helped it dodge their assault. When that was done, he fired in a rapid-fire fashion with his new cannons, first at Starscream, and then at Cyclonus as he tried to fire his Laser Pulse Attack. While that happened, Tomoyo, Billy, and Fred came running up to Rad, Carlos and Alexis, each helping them to their feet.

"Did… something just happened?" asked the brunette as Tomoyo helped her.

"Let's just say that Perceptor has learnt Fashion Sense," she smiled as Rad, Billy, Carlos and Fred came up. As Billy watched, his face saw how impressive his partner turned out. "Maybe I wouldn't regret my decision after all,"

"Hey, what about REV?" whined Fred once again. Carlos added, "This is wicked cool… look at Perceptor now!" And Rad nodded. However, Tarantulas came up in attack mode.

"You snivelling humans are lunch!" he cried, as he began bounding from wall to wall, with the kids watching in horror. But then…

"Not on my watch, eight-eyes!"

It all happened so quickly, and the spider didn't get the chance to launch his attack. What he was attacked by was a huge monstrosity, like some organic armoured truck as it landed on him, burning rubber on the spider's back. What shocked the kids later was how the configuration changed.

The wheels then shifted, along with the front… as that armoured truck then transformed into… A Transmetal Woolly Mammoth. The huge mammal that was stomping on Tarantulas now has a shining colour scheme, with white, dark brown, and tan on his mechanical parts. There was also a shade of bronze-vacuum metal on his elephantine body too, as he charged in on attack mode. When he was done, the spider was knocked offline. As laser fire bounced off the newcomer's head, tusks and back, he then revealed newest form.

"TUSKLAW – MAXIMISE!" he bellowed, and with a loud trumpet, he transformed. The mammoth skin shifted, and the hind legs pressed in as the robot's legs came out from the stomach region. From the back of the shoulders, the robot arms came out, and underwent a complex transformation with the mammoth legs and so now, the beast legs were at the back of the robot, as his legs. His armour was fully revealed, as he looked like he was made mainly for strength and power. Next, the mammoth head shifted forward, turned 180 degrees, and moved towards the back while revealing the robot head. The head looked like an odd combination of a grunt and a sort of monk with ice blue optics. Finally, what weapon should appear is a new chain hammer, which looked like it was formed from ice, but could also smash ice with so much power, along with a new, shining green insignia. Which led to one conclusion.

"This dude… could he be a Maximal?" asked Carlos as the warrior blocked even Wipeout's moves while he was at it.

Tomoyo saw the chance to tell him the situation. "If you're on our side, please, free the Autobots! They're being possessed by Tarantulas's cyber venom, so please help them!"

"Understood!" grunted the warrior as he then tried to attack the copter with his chain mace. Unfortunately, while even being possessed, the Autobot couldn't keep still. Unexpectedly that's when Scavenger came and grabbed the warrior from behind. It seems that the cerebro shell has fallen off.

"Now that the bug boy's offline, the cerebro shell has stopped functioning, so here's your chance!"

"On it, big guy!" yelled the warrior as he pulled out a hidden launcher. As he did, he then fired, as a white, polar coloured Cyber Bat then soared and sunk it's teeth on Wipeout's neck. That was when the little animal drained what remains of the cyber venom out of the Autobot, and he was converted back to normal.

It was foolish when Waspinator made his move in vehicle mode, firing away. In return, the back-facing mammoth head's eyes then glowed, as the trunk fired a super-cold, icy blast that caused the whining wasp to crash-land in a solid chunk of ice. Finally, all that remained was Hotshot, who was still possessed. Detecting the venom source, the bat then performed its job, thus freed the youngster from the spell. It then spat the venom out into energy balls, knocking out the four Minicons who were guarding Billy and Fred before.

When that was done, not one of the Decepticons, Predacons and their Minicon partners stood up after that. As the bat returned towards its master, Wipeout groaned and stood up by himself. "Remind me to get the pest control for this cave… what happened out there?"

"Last time I remembered, the venom affected my systems… kids! Are you alright?" cried out Hotshot.

"Banged up pretty badly, but likewise, we're fine," came Rad's reply, as the new Maximal warrior came up. "I don't think Optimus would stop worrying about this damage, so I guess a little vaccination for you guys wouldn't hurt a bit," Unfortunately, even the kids who were damaged the most woke up in shock with a scream. "Just kidding!" chuckled the warrior's reply, as he then held his hand over all of them. A bright, ice blue light then began shining over the kids from the palm as all the kids' injuries healed quickly. When that was done, Rad and Alexis, the kids that were affected the most by the web, were fully recovered. "Wow… I can't believe it… how did you do it?" asked Alexis in surprise.

"Training as a ice templar helped me gain acquire the skills needed, but the powers of science also did its job, like my batty friend here," he laughed, until Perceptor walked up and spoke in English tongue.

"Stop making jokes about it, Tusklaw. Right now, Optimus and the others are going to need some help."

"Good point," added Scavenger. "So we must get going now that we have one of the new Minicons,"

"I never really thought Minicons are programmed to talk though," And the group then started off towards Optimus's location. As they ran, Wipeout asked the Maximal, "How did you ever find us in there, Tusklaw? I didn't detect a warp signature before,"

"I was sent there in a stasis pod to protect the little guys there when the drone ship I was on encountered an asteroid field and crash-landed on earth. At that time, I was trapped in the Alaskan ice until I was able to obtain an alternate mode and free myself from the ice. I was trapped there for quite a while until the battle woke me up,"

"Sounds like you must have had a frozen experience with Frosty the Snowman," joked Hotshot, along with a puzzled look from Tusklaw. But there was no time to waste as the group came closer to the location of the second group and the next panel.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Currently, as Perceptor mentioned, the second Autobot group were fighting a losing battle against Megatron's group. Although they were fighting well, they were losing ground as the fighting forces came closer towards the Minicon's location. And to top that off, both Demolishor and Sideways attacked Smokescreen on both sides and took him out first. Now, only Red Alert and Optimus remained, despite a healthy dose of powerlinking from Longarm and Sparkplug.

For Optimus, he could only hope that the kids and the others were all right as they fought on. Right now, he was blocking Megatron's offence manoeuvre as he struggled to avoid being either slashed by the Star Sabre or blasted by his tank cannon. Executing two low kicks and a high punch, he then stomped down on the Decepticon leader as he then choking him with fury.

"This planet shall not fall into the hands of tyrants like you Megatron, and I do not intend to let you do that! If killing you is what it takes, then that's what I'll do!"

"K-kill me? You haven't had a chance within a few light years… after all, what makes you think you could kill me now?" growled the warrior. That was when his cannon was activated. Nearly damaging Optimus, the Autobot leader was sent flying by the anti-matter blast from his cannon, and into the icy wall. Groaning, the Autobot was caught between two dangers: being obliterated by Megatron's final shot or slashed by the sword. And now, his health was about 61 percent remaining.

But just as Megatron was about to finish Optimus off, an unexpected shot flew out of nowhere. Normally, an icicle would have shattered on the Decepticon's armour if the point made contact. But when hardened by Tusklaw, it would hurt… a lot, especially when the back-mounted cannon was taken out. In fact, the icicle was thrown with telekinesis by the elephant, and now, there was a gaping hole on Megatron's right hip. While that happened, Tusklaw also bound Shatterbelt up with his chain, and Hotshot and Wipeout did the rest for Demolishor and Sideways.

"I doubt if you wanted a new tomb for us, but why don't you do it some other time? We'll be more than happy to oblige if you refuse," growled Scavenger, as the rest of the group had their weapons armed and surrounding the Decepticons.

Megatron, seeing as he was outnumbered, along with the rest of the group, who were not only trapped and left defenceless, they were also left with no prize. "Remind me to give Tarantulas a strict punishment upon return. But this is not over, Optimus Prime. Decepticons, and Predacons, withdraw!" And with that, the enemy retreated in their usual fashion. Scavenger was already helping up Smokescreen while Wipeout then assisted his commander. "You alright sir, I hope?"

Optimus stood up with still-functioning parts. "No real damage done. I'm just glad all of you have made it out with your sparks intact. And by the looks of things, I see you found a new comrade,"

"Tusklaw, ready for duty, sir!" saluted the Maximal warrior. "I'm just glad the job is done, and the kids are safe without harm,"

Red Alert was also helping Smokescreen to his feet. "Sounds to me like you didn't arrive directly from Cybertron before. And how long were you in here for about?"

"Over a few millennia or so, but I'm pretty used to the cold so I'm not taken out this easily!" as the warrior explained his experience in the cold.

Despite being damaged, Smokescreen managed to speak up. "Your experience sounds quite similar to mine when I was in the subway," he grinned, which was when Hotshot cried out that the new Minicon was found. And after that, as the Minicon was collected, the six Autobots, kids, their Minicons, and the Maximal began to watch it's birth while the panel came to life.

As the cavern walls glowed with a beautiful rainbow light, the new Minicon emerged. He has a dark emerald and black colour scheme, and he looked suited to be of a stocky build. By the look of his physical appearance, his best attributes were mainly based on power and endurance. His vehicle mode seemed to be like that of a 4WD jeep as he was revived, and his green optics shone with his first awakening on Earth. Although he had a grim look on his face, the new Minicon's mouth turned into a smile when he saw the Autobot that's most likely to be it's first partner.

"It seems that you have chosen me, did you?" asked Wipeout, as the Minicon landed lightly on his hand. There was a happy beeping noise as Optimus then translated the speech.

"His name is Trailbreaker, Wipeout. He must have selected you well since you two can provide optics with each other during missions, for both air or ground assault,"

A hearty laugh came from Hotshot. "Sounds to me like you now have someone who won't leave your side. Then again, if Rana's coming, she wouldn't want to keep you waiting!"

"Even if Tarantulas and Waspinator could gatecrash the party, there's no way we could loose!" added Carlos with Grindor cheering. But a grim look appeared on Scavenger's face. "Don't be so sure, Carlos. I fear they may be trouble for us the next time round,"

"Hey big guy, we have Tusklaw in the team now!" blurted out Billy. "Along with my new partner, Jazz!" With a continuous amount of beeping, the new member cried, (Aww, thanks man!)

"That's for sure!" added Fred. But it was another matter for Alexis, Rad, and Tomoyo. "With Tarantulas and Waspinator with the Decepticons, do you think…"

Rad placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Alexis. No matter what, we'll be prepared," he said, in addition to Tomoyo's reply. "For now, this battle is over. But… when will this war end?"

(Who knows, Tomoyo? It might end someday, sometime soon.) replied Sunstreaker, with High Wire, Sureshock, REV, and the rest of the Autobots' Minicons beeping with agreement.

Finally, Optimus then turned to Tusklaw, Jazz and Trailbreaker. "Consider yourselves part of the family now, you three. Even though we have the only Maximal on Earth for now,"

Trailbreaker then saluted with honour on Wipeout's palm. (It is a great pleasure to serve in the mighty cause of the Autobots and Maximals, sir.) And Jazz cheered, (Yes, and as long as you let me find some excellent Earthen music on this planet, I'll be happy!)

"Then don't you come to us if you receive the noise pollution bill," sniggered Tusklaw. Which led to some angry beeping from the Minicon, and it sounded so amusing that everybody also began to laugh. Like last time, now there were three new members, with two Minicons, and a Maximal who was finally reunited with the group. And now that was done, all of the Autobots, Minicons, the children and the Maximal, returned back to the Autobot headquarters, safe and sound, even though in grim times.

New Predacons: Tarantulas and Waspinator

New Maximals: Tusklaw

New Minicons: Bombshell, Shrapnel, Jazz, Trailbreaker, and Perceptor Battle Mode

**Predacon Identification **

Name: TARANTULAS  
Faction: PREDACON  
Alternate Form: Technorganic Tarantula  
Minicon Partner: BOMBSHELL  
Function: Scientist  
Quote: "The stronger the morsel, the better the taste,"

Quite one of the best in the PREDACON forces indeed. TARANTULAS operates alone, playing a game with AUTOBOT, MAXIMAL, DECEPTICON and PREDACON alike. A reclusive scientist, TARANTULAS works from within a subterranean laboratory built in a crater. He is a bit of a manipulative warrior, sometimes toying with his enemies until he can attack with his psychologial skills and cyber-venom after their guard is lowered. The other DECEPTICONS and PREDACONS have learned that while TARANTULAS' scientific genius is integral to their success, he is not a spider to be trusted. Although this spider can sometimes seen with WASPINATOR during battle. The secrets he now possesses make him an invaluable member of the DECEPTICONS and PREDACONS.

Strength - 6.0  
Intelligence - 9.5  
Speed - 9.0  
Endurance - 6.0  
Rank - 5.0  
Courage - 7.0  
Fireblast - 7.0  
Skill - 9.0

Name: WASPINATOR  
Faction: PREDACON  
Alternate Form: Transmetal Wasp/F-16 Jet Fighter  
Minicon Partner: SHRAPNEL  
Function: Aerial Assault  
Quote: "Waspinator, seek and destroy!"

This poor guy never seems to get a break from battles and bad luck. Like his Beast Wars predecessor, WASPINATOR is always the one to wind up getting slagged so many times that all of his parts have been spread practically all over the battlefield, causing a vast amount of sniggering within DECEPTICON and PREDACON alike. Since then, he holds the legendary record of being blown a multiple amount during battle. A bit of a dim-witted warrior, he fights best alongside TARANTULAS, ready to hinder any AUTOBOTS and MAXIMALS along the way, relying on his help. Yet he can even succeed on some occasions in both wasp and jet modes. Although he was inexperienced at fighting on solo missions sent by MEGATRON, surprisingly, he can hold out his own, and it's not very reassuring. Just ask MEGATRON, if you can.

Strength - 7.0  
Intelligence - 5.5  
Speed - 9.0  
Endurance - 7.0  
Rank - 5.0  
Courage - 4.0  
Fireblast - 7.0  
Skill - 6.0

**Maximal Identification **

Name: TUSKLAW  
Faction: MAXIMAL  
Alternate Form: Transmetal Woolly Mammoth/Armoured Truck  
Minicon Partner: ICE FREEZE  
Function: Ice Templar/Scientist  
Quote: "Out of the Ice Age and into trouble!"

TUSKLAW is a large, powerfully built MAXIMAL warrior who attacks and defends with a lot of power. This Transmetal Woolly Mammoth fighter was found frozen in an icy wasteland until a battle caused his revival on Planet Earth. Like SMOKESCREEN, he charges into battle with a vast amount of weapons in full-on attack force, but at the same time using his psychic templar abilities and ice weapons on his opponents. TUSKLAW is one of the many MAXIMALS whose strength and defence makes up for his lack of speed, and is quite helpful on many experiments to help overthrow the DECEPTICONS and PREDACONS. But can his amazing fighting abilities help turn the tide of this battle to free all of the MINICONS from MEGATRON'S grasp?

Strength - 9.0  
Intelligence - 9.0  
Speed - 5.9  
Endurance - 8.5  
Rank - 8.5  
Courage - 8.5  
Fireblast - 9.5  
Skill - 9.0

**Minicon Sub-Unit Identification **

FUTURE STUNT MINICON TEAM

Name: SUNSTREAKER  
Alternate Form: Futuristic Motocross Motorcycle  
Main Partner: Tomoyo

Name: JAZZ  
Alternate Form: Jet-powered Hovercycle  
Main Partner: Billy

Name: REV  
Alternate Form: Rocket-powered Hovercycle  
Main Partner: Fred

Faction: MINICON  
Function: Liaison  
Abilities: Combine with Street Action Minicon Team to form PERCEPTOR BATTLE MODE  
Quote: "Find your true potential and use it with care,"

Like the STREET ACTION MINCON TEAM, this team of MINICONS strive to also help others find their own power within themselves in order for their goals to be achieved. As their name suggests, they take form of futuristic stunt vehicles on planet Earth. Although they can be strong in their individual forms, when they are with the MINICONS HIGH WIRE, GRINDOR and SURESHOCK, their strength is no match for their combined form. Whenever trouble comes or that the danger is about to take its toll, the two mighty teams combine to form PERCEPTOR'S modified form, using the power of teamwork, in which results with the warring factions fighting for these prized and valuable Minicons.

Strength - 6.0  
Intelligence - 9.0  
Speed - 7.0  
Endurance - 5.9  
Rank - 5.0  
Courage - 7.0  
Fireblast - 5.0  
Skill - 7.6

_To be continued… _

Author's note: So sorry that came in late, please, no flames. Okay, maybe I've actually got problems in Year 11, including next week's block testing, but doesn't mean this chapter hasn't arrived! I know that my character OCs weren't like that on Beast Wars, it's been so long since I saw that series. Yes, not only you will find the two Pred names familiar, you will recognise where Trailbreaker, Jazz, Bombshell and Shrapnel came from. And please, welcome my very first Maximal, Tusklaw!

Even though Waspinator would have been funnier on TV than on fic, he's still an amusing Predacon I favoured! And this chapter is the longest one yet for Transformers. This week, on the show, the Big Cheez, it should be Puppet. I can't wait to see Nemesis Prime in action!

Very well, this is Final Genesis, signing off!

Please, read and review!


	6. Burning Will

Final Genesis: Konnichiwa, Minna-san! Sorry that this came in late, you know the many things in Year 11, like exams and all. And I don't think Term 4 would be even better when I come back from Japan. But now, the reviews!

**Flamestrike:** I thank you so much for your review, and sorry to keep you waiting… then again, you haven't updated in a while. And when I tried e-mailing you, it mentioned that your e-mail doesn't exist. Do you have a new e-mail or something?

**Zeheria:** Despite the typos, thank you, and you're the first person to ever add me to your Favourites and Author Alert listings!

**Bloodsabre: **My first review of this fic, hope you enjoy this chapter I have in store for you!

**GamaFox: **Thank you for your compliment, unlike what Wolfblade gave me. If I have time before or after my trip to Japan, maybe I'll review some more of your fics.

**Pivot: **You wanted to know what's happening next, well now you know! Hopefully I could get a review from you to see what you think of my latest chapter!

**Chiomon: **Thank you for the review, but just to remind you, the Cerebro shell doesn't belong to me, it was from Generation 1, the Insecticon warrior Bombshell owns it. But nevertheless, I'm so glad you added my story on your list!

FG: Wipeout, care to do the honours of the disclaimer?

Wipeout: Certainly. FG does not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The only characters he own are the ones that he made. The weapon, Cerebro Shell is G1 Bombshell's prized weapon in Generation One. Now, this is the second and last of the two stories set before 'Vacation'. And last but not least…

FG: Let the fun begin!

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 6: Burning Will**

"You're going down, Cock-Chopper!"

"Shut up. Hopefully if you're terminated Dick-Driller, you'll be restored back into something a bit more pleasant! And we don't have organisms,"

Another Minicon battle raged on, this time in the Grand Canyon. With both sides clashing with each other, it was no surprise that Wipeout and Shatterbelt have been going at each other's throats and wiring. Both exchanging firepower, they were both determined to reach the current Minicon panel first while rest of the five Autobots and one Maximal clashed with the five Decepticons and two Predacons, while the kids watched on the HQ monitor with both interest and dismay.

"I don't think that would be the sound of two former friends have a friendly bicker at each other," sighed Tomoyo, as she watched Tusklaw knock out Tarantulas as he ran past towards the location, transforming into vehicle mode with Cyclonus in hot pursuit.

"Don't worry, amigo," replied Carlos. "That's how you mainly see these two warriors having a go at each other during battle,"

"Though the trouble is, I couldn't imagine what the relationship between Wipeout and Shatterbelt was like back on Cybertron," added Alexis. "The way they're fighting, it's like they never have anything holding them back. Well, except the orders from either Megatron or Optimus,"

That was when Rad spotted something from the corner of Laserbeak's view. "Hey Laserbeak, can you identify the formation on that ledge to your right, please?" he asked, as the bird did as he was told without question.

(AWK! I just spotted that a few minutes ago! Tusklaw, how are you?)

"Considering now Waspy joined in the fray. Oh what the heck!" And he was left with no choice. As Waspinator still continued firing away in robot mode, sadly, he didn't see the glowing flying boulder that the mammoth manipulated at him. By then, it was too late as the rock sent him plummeting at great speed. "Bst, mayday, mayday, Waspinator hit, Waspinator going ddooooowwwwwwwnnnnnnn!"

"You see, Starscream, that's the downside of gaining insects in our squadron!"

"Shut your face, Cyclonus, I'm trying the good old strife 'n run!" snapped the jet, as he started bombarding Hotshot, while avoiding enemy fire at the same time. But both warriors weren't giving up the same time as Optimus and Megatron did their usual 'friendly' mantra. Both with their hands locked to each other, they weren't even giving up with a flinch.

"It quite amazing to see how my Autobot rival has improved within the many battles but that doesn't change quite a bit!" growled Megatron.

"The same could be said for you, Decepticon!" came the reply as he tossed his opponent's hands back. After that gave him the chance to fire his Sparkburst, he then activated his com. "Status report!"

Red Alert was busy ducking and firing back at Sideways while he powerlinked with Longarm, which left Smokescreen facing off against Demolishor. "Nothing new except Sideways firing a couple of shots just to pin us down," For Cyclonus however, in comparison to Waspinator's temporary fate, he was busy chasing after the mammoth still in vehicle mode. Even though he wasn't the fastest warrior, Tusklaw would still have his armour to provide him with the necessary protection he needed while it lasts, other than manoeuvring around the shots. Still laughing, Cyclonus attempted to gain a direct hit when suddenly, he was shot down by one of Wipeout's hellfire missiles, which Wipeout quickly fired backwards during his fight, along with Scavenger's Dozer Cannon while powerlinked with Rollbar.

"I owe you big time, you two! Thanks!"

"Don't you even utter a single word of it!" replied the Comanche while blocking three kicks aimed at his stomach. On Shatterbelt's fourth kick, Wipeout countered it by twisting his right leg, but not after the mole tank used the drills to blow up a sandstorm at the Autobot's face. Scavenger, however, was following Tusklaw in bulldozer mode.

"Tusklaw, for us saving you, would you care to do the honours?" he growled, as they headed towards the slope where the Minicon panel is located.

"Gladly! MAXIMIZE!" he yelled, and during his transformation, he used the chain mace to assist in his descent to the panel. While he did it, Scavenger helped by holding the spiked ball. Carefully, he continued lowering himself until he reached the panel's level. Then he proceeded to weakening the rock that held the panel.

Despite momentarily blinded by the dust, Wipeout quickly managed to get his sight back, while being pummelled at the same time. "You still enjoy sinking down to this level you were in now, do you?"

"Fool. No matter how dirty a trick, the winner is always one who climbs up to the top. I am that winner!"

But what Shatterbelt didn't know was that Wipeout was calculating the distance between himself and the two duelling leaders from the other side. If he was correct, that should help Prime a bit and would turn the tide of the fight. Without a second to lose, he knocked Shatterbelt onto his back, and that was when his plan went into action.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"

"Two can play that game!" yelled Wipeout as he proceeded to swinging the mole tank around in circles. In frustration, the Decepticon began firing non-stop at the Comanche, but even when his enemy sustained laser holes he didn't flinch a bit. "I hope you like merry-go-rounds, Shatterbelt, because this will be the first and only one you're never forget!"

"You wouldn't dare! NNNNNNNNOOOOOOO!" But that had no effect since Wipeout already send him flying, aimed at Megatron. When that was done, he then fired his Vulcan Cannon point-blank at Starscream, causing him to crash-land down a gorge while the Autobot gave Hotshot the thumbs-up. Not only that, Optimus quickly moved away from Megatron in the last second just as Shatterbelt landed on the Decepticon leader, hard.

"What do you think you're doing, you imbecile, and would you get off me?" roared Megatron.

"Hey sir, that bloody chopper performed a dirty trick on me!" yelled the mole tank, but Wipeout then inflicted more shots at him. "You're the one who started it, Shatterbelt, so don't come running to us next time!"

Not only that, more despair came when Tusklaw uttered out the dreadful words the Decepticon leader didn't want to believe. "Prime, we found the Minicon, so mission accomplished!" And so, Megatron called out his usual escape once again while the rest of his damaged and humiliated men warped back to base.

After the battle was done, most of the Autobots gathered around, with the exception of two members. Smokescreen looked around with concern. "Hey, where the heck are Scavenger and Tusklaw? Shouldn't they be here by now?"

"Oh don't worry about that Smokescreen. The gorge the Minicon was found was only about two Earth kilometres away. And by the looks of the rising dust, here they come now," pointed out Red Alert.

The dust began to clear as the bulldozer and armoured truck showed up… and by the looks of the occupant in Tusklaw's driver seat, it must have been the Minicon. By the looks of the skis on it's back, its alternate mode must have been that of a snowmobile. For it's colour scheme, it was an Arctic commando's scheme, with a similar camouflage pattern as in the military. Its Minicon insignia was located on its chest. Finally, for it's face, it looked like it was wearing an oxygen mask, with cyan optics.

As the new Minicon stepped out of the cab, both Autobot and Maximal transformed in front of their leader, while Smokescreen noticed the new arrival. "So, I guess you found a new hitchhiker, did you?"

"With the help of teamwork," replied Scavenger. "Shows that even with the Star Sabre, power doesn't get you anywhere unless you use it properly,"

"And even though this little guy wasn't found in the cold, he already made his choice for his name," added Tusklaw, as he placed his new partner on his shoulder. "He's called Ice Freeze, looking at his camouflage pattern," And the little Minicon beeped with delight.

Red Alert smiled at the sight of the new member. "His pattern really does go well as his name implies," he said, as Ice Freeze and Longarm then shook hands.

Only Hotshot was silent as he looked out at a distance. Something was bothering him ever since the battle was over, but it wasn't Tarantula's cyber venom this time. He was usually in a victorious, confident mood when the Autobots won, but something was wrong. What he was detecting was something not out-of-the-ordinary, and he could not shake the feeling, even with the feeling of a few recent victories in the last few days. Only Wipeout noticed the youngster's look. "What's wrong, Hotshot?"

The youngster turned to the Comanche for a moment. "I don't know. Just as we've won, I thought I must have notice a faint energy signature. But I don't know whether it was another Minicon or not,"

Wipeout had had no other choice but to also set his sensors to tracker mode. Everywhere around him, he saw that it was normal… until he also detected the same source as well.

"Wipeout, Hotshot, what's going on?"

"Optimus sir, Hotshot found an unidentified energy signature. Should we investigate?"

"Hmm. It could be another Minicon, I suppose. But I want you and Hotshot to come back online. Smokescreen, go and back them up just in case, and meet us back at base,"

"Yes sir," came the reply as the two warriors set off for the source. "H-hey, wait up! I'm also coming along too!" added Smokescreen as the crane also followed them with their Minicons trailing behind.

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"Signal's stronger. We're close,"

A trail of dust flew behind Hotshot as he sped alongside his flying comrade. "About time too, Wipeout. This heat is starting to get on me circuits already!"

"Hey, at least it wasn't as bad as when we lost Knockout to the Decepticons in Death Valley one time. It could have been worse!" added Smokescreen, who was following Hotshot. "Now would you stop leaving dust trails in front of me, I can't see a thing!"

"Opps, sorry Smokescreen, I'll stick to your right,"

But a second later, they arrived at the site. According to the spot, there was a cave entrance at the bottom of the gorge. To a human's point of view, it would have been a drop of ninety metres, but to a Transformer, it was a simple matter of descending down the drop.

"Well. That would difficult unless one would have flight abilities. Nevertheless, there's no trouble, except for one thing," said Wipeout as he surveyed the gorge.

"We're the only two Autobots that can't fly Wipeout, and so, we have to do all the climbing while you stay afloat!" growled Smokescreen. "It's going to take much longer for Hotshot and I to climb down!"

The Comanche then came up with a brainstorm. "Anybody care for a descent by chopper? It's much faster for the both of you than climbing, so anybody care to hold on?"

"Count me in!" grinned the crane as he held onto Wipeout's left hand. "Are you coming, Hotshot?"

"Hey, no sweat it, I can do fine by myself!" replied the youngster eagerly, as he started descending down without a slight hint of caution in his mainframe. Unfortunately, his overconfidence got the better of him as the second ledge he stepped on broke under the strain. Hotshot tried to hold on, but it was too late as he began to fall.

"No, Hotshot! Jolt, go after him, and quickly!" yelled Wipeout, as the red Minicon went after his partner in vehicle mode. But it seemed too late as Hotshot already tumbled down, and landed hard near the entrance. "Unn… anybody got the number of that auto-loader…" Which was when he glimpsed something inside the cave. Something… metallic. "What the…"

The sound of rocket wings came as Wipeout, along with Smokescreen, Jolt, Liftor and Trailbreaker descended down the gorge. "Were you thinking of any safety at all while climbing down, you fool? You could have had your… what's that?"

Wipeout's words were lost as Hotshot pointed out what was in front of them. And there, each of their optics found a sad sight.

What Hotshot found was that there lay a body of what looked liked a half-dead female Transformer. By the look of her slim and sleek design, she was of a jet/bird-like build. Her age, it looked as she was about Hotshot's age. Aside her look of sadness and pain from her electric blue optics, blotches of rust coated her light frame, and most of her silver and blue paint was scratched off. She lay down in a crumpled and curled position, as if she was recoiling away from such pain. Worst of all, she was battered and torched so badly that an Autobot or Maximal wouldn't be capable of such damage.

As Smokescreen looked in horror, his tough, construction worker face softened at the sight of the damage. "This is terrible… what could possibly happen to a femme like… what the…"

"Something that would damage her to nearly beyond repair," concluded Wipeout, as he scanned the body for any causes of damage. "I don't think she would have landed on this planet recently,"

"But… who was she? I mean, with that damage, could Red repair her up to full strength? I feel… so sorry for her,"

"Are you crazy Hotshot?" demanded Smokescreen suddenly. "Why don't you check out the insignia on her chest?" And he was correct as they saw what looked like a familiar, insectoid badge, that of a Predacon. But what was strange about it was that it was discoloured.

"That's strange. It seemed to have faded slightly, but I haven't seen it if a Maximal or Autobot would have that either been for a spy mission or even corruption. There probably has to be a reason for this. I'd say we take her to Red…"

"Not you too Wipeout! What would happen if she was some spy meant to infiltrate our headquarters on Earth? She would lead us to trap us, kill us, or anything that was…"

But Smokescreen never uttered the next word as Wipeout's gold optics flashed with anger. And the crane stayed quiet. Only Hotshot did not join in the argument, but cried out, "Listen Smokescreen, you're suddenly going into the same way you accused Scavenger back then! Don't you think you're being a bit too judgemental? So what if she might be a Predacon? Despite that the unity is more important than one soldier, I couldn't possible leave a comrade who is in need of help, especially after what happened with Wheeljack! Resist if you want, but let her be! Even though she might be bad, she will be in our debt once we helped her to recovery! I won't stop to help one in need, even in the times of bad! I'll take full responsibility if I have too!"

For a moment, not one stood or made a sound from Hotshot's words. It was almost like he became a brave leader himself, even despite his hotheadedness. Taken aback, Smokescreen was the first to speak up. "Fine then. But if this Predacon leads us to destruction don't come crying to us for your sorrow,"

Wipeout was impressed with the amount of words the frontline warrior used, as he help him pick up the femme. "I never expected that to happen, but looks like the decision is made. Shall we?"

Without much choice, they proceeded to warping back to base.

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"Pass me that bolt, would you care, Ice Freeze?"

(Gladly, Tusklaw.) came the reply as the Minicon passed him the item to his large friend. At that moment, both Ice Freeze and Tusklaw, along with another Minicon, Armorhide, were in the medical bay, busily working on a new repair chamber. Before that happened, the Templar/Scientist was granted permission from Optimus to build this chamber to help repair any Autobot or Maximal quickly and efficiently as possible. And using fuel cells, mainly Energon as the power source, generated that chamber. Now all they needed is a way to convert an everyday source to that kind of power.

"Only a few more minutes to go and that would be done. Now all we need is to obtain a fuel source on this planet. What do you think, Armorhide?"

The blue and white snowplough vehicle looked up. (Well, based what I have researched on this planet, one of the best sources of environmental energy to use on this planet would be solar rays. Apparently, these rays may be expensive to use in human society, but quite effective. I would be more than happy to help find a way to convert this energy so the Cybertronian Restoration Chamber is functional.)

"Mmm. I believe you'll do Rhinox proud one of these days, if he came to planet Earth, and thank you,"

But one question came into Armorhide's mainframe. (But Tusklaw… you don't think Rhinox would believe I wouldn't be able to think orders for myself do you?)

"Of course not," came the reply. "Why do you think that?"

(I know he tries to convince me that I'm more than just brawn, since of my reputation. I feel so happy not to get treated like another warrior who's all brawn and not brains. But on the battlefield… he just barks out orders to do this and do that… I feel so miserable… like he feels like doing it because of what I mentioned before. What do you think?)

(Don't feel so down on yourself, Armorhide,) replied Ice Freeze. (Rhinox isn't like that. When he's barking out orders, he's like that on the field. You aren't the only one who knows how you feel, he also cares about you. Unlike Megatron when he treats Leader-1.)

"He's right, you know," added Red Alert as he entered the room. "That attitude of his couldn't be further from the truth, as Ice Freeze mentioned it before, that's how Rhinox is on the battlefield. He's trying to make you understand that, and he's also feeling sorry for you, since I received a message from him,"

(R-really?)

"That's right, if you're willing to understand," and the medic smiled.

Despite his toughness, Armorhide grinned, as he even shed Energon tears. (Thank you all…) until a scream came up.

"RED ALERT!"

The occupants in the room turned around in shock. Running up towards the medical bay were Wipeout, Hotshot and Smokescreen, who have returned, carrying a critically damaged femme in their arms.

"Details?"

"We found this female, but she's in desperate need for an repair!" cried Hotshot. "She may be a Predacon, but we don't think this type of damage would be this brutal!"

Whirling, the head technician cried out, "Get a medical stretcher ready, stat! We have a femme to repair!" And Tusklaw, Ice Freeze and Armorhide did as they were ordered without question. Even Longarm, who had just arrived, decided to help. All that mattered now to help save a life, no matter the cost.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Four hours later after Red Alert began his repair along with Tusklaw, the others, including the kids and the Street Action and Future Stunt Teams, watched him working on the female. By that time, the medic managed to remove most of the rust using an anti-rust solution.

Carefully, Tusklaw began healing the damaged segments of the body with his templar powers, with Ice Freeze, Armorhide and Longarm repairing some minor damage. While doing that, the wires automatically repaired themselves as well when the light healed them, as the kids watched from above with amazement. Optimus then made contact with the two via his com. "So what's the status?"

Red Alert turned towards Optimus first. "Well basically, I'm amazed that the spark is still functioning and is in excellent shape. But the trouble is that there's a certain part of circuitry that is required since of her damage, and one of us would have to donate part of it,"

"Hey wait a minute," piped in Billy in surprise. "You mean like one of those blood or marrow transplant?" But from the words 'marrow transplant', Fred then started whining.

"Please, don't mention these words again!"

"Calm down Fred, it's not like you're part of it," replied Rad. Optimus then spoke to Tusklaw. "What's the specific circuitry type for her at this stage? I hope it's not too difficult for her to accept,"

"Let's see… based on the circuitry that I found the information on, the computer program Sentinel has just found the one that's necessary," replied the mammoth as he scanned for the required part. "According to my calculations, the code is 2658… anybody got that number?"

It seems that nobody else got that number, because unexpectedly, an orange arm rose up. "SMOKESCREEN?"

"Well, why not? It's not that I have choice, do I? It's just because I don't want to wind up with Hotshot giving me a lecture about helping others. Then again, it must have been the femme's looks that attracted him," That was all he said as he descended down to the medical room. Upon arrival, he was given a new order.

"In order for the femme to come alive, you need to be offline. But don't worry, Smokescreen, this'll only take a nano-click," explained Red Alert.

"Let's just hope this doesn't turn out to be a nightmare, Red. But I could use some recharge. Repair mode," Lying down on another medical stretcher, his optics suddenly went blank, and he went offline, while the kids watched with concern.

"Is Smokescreen going to be okay?" asked Carlos with worry.

Alexis took the chance to blurt in. "Relax, it's not like he'll get killed in the operation, just that he would donate part of his circuitry,"

"Besides, he's tougher than that, even if he doesn't use fancy fighting styles," added Tomoyo, with some of their Minicons nodding with agreement.

A few minutes after Smokescreen went offline, he automatically came online, as he was awakening from a good dream. When he woke up, Red Alert was holding a chip extractor with the chip containing Smokescreen's circuitry and installing it to the female. "What a lovely dream, have to be taught about a spark's birth… how was she?"

Tusklaw was already typing up a complex command as Smokescreen spoke. When he was done, a computer like voice the replied, "Stasis lock restored. Implementing. Subject ninety-four percent restored,"

"Alright!" cheered Hotshot as he watched on. He was not only glad that the femme was going to be okay; it was also because that Red Alert and Tusklaw's work never failed on them. Scavenger also chose to speak in.

"Did you find anything that might have happened to her?"

Red Alert then explained the situation. "The schematics show that she was damaged quite badly, almost beyond repair. From the looks of things, as Wipeout indicated, Autobot or Maximal forces couldn't have battered her this badly. But I have heard many different stories, that she might have been stolen from a Maximal tribe once protected by a Maximal Lord. Another rumour I heard was that there was a Predacon who refused to fight, since she hated violence so much, including inflicting harm upon others. Maybe Megatron must have had her tortured or something since of her insubordination many giga-cycles ago, but otherwise, I don't know what could have happened to her. But likewise, she should be fully repaired under the stretcher's auto-repair mode with six percent to go,"

"Take a break just in case, you two. We'll work out what has happened later on," ordered Optimus as the medic switched the auto-repair system on. As many of them left, Tomoyo lagged behind, wondering what could have happened to such a pretty face like her. The femme was resting soundly so far, and surprisingly, the Predacon insignia seemed to have faded a little more slightly than before. When Sunstreaker called her however, the Japanese followed her out of the medical room.

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_Flashback, one-point-two million stellar-cycles ago, Planet Cybertron, Predacon headquarters… _

A young female was busily typing on her laptop for her assignment today in her quarters, as assigned by the Predacon saboteur, BlackArachnia. Even though violence wasn't her specialty, her best gift was to learn any complex codes, hack into enemy computers, and sabotage equipment. Unfortunately, her non-violent nature earned a bad reputation among the Predacon ranks.

She detested most of the ranks. Ever since she came online, she was always mistreated as a mere scraplet, even if she managed to succeed on a mission on one occasion. Most of the Predacons and Decepticons disliked her, and she was often alone.

However, only one Predacon treated her kindly with both respect and companionship: BlackArachnia. Even though she was a femme fatale, and sometimes harsh, she treated her well as a respected student, for some reason. But the young femme did not know the reason why, yet. But sooner or later, she will find out that truth within a few sub-cycles later.

Right now, she was assigned to work on a program to translate an encrypted code. But that was when an icon for an incoming e-mail had arrived.

_That's strange, _she thought._ I usually never receive any messages from a friend, that's because I normally never had any. Usually superiors like either Shokaract or Megatron would send them for any orders, but I don't like fighting. But whom would it be from? _

She was about to find out as she opened the message. Surprisingly, it was from BlackArachnia. According to the message, it said to meet her at the Predacon skyline at three sub-cycles. It also told her to print the message out just in case superiors asked her where she was going. Without hesitating, she did as she was ordered.

Along the way, as she ran past Terrorsaur, she was unfortunately jeered at with, "They say you're really a boy! Why don't you prove to me that you're not?"

But she ignored as she continued on. Her teammates were beginning to become harder to ignore lately, and she detested most of them. Since of her dislike of fighting, she had been humiliated at, and was afraid of telling others who were closest to her. When it comes to BlackArachnia, it was another matter. Despite her harshness of a femme fatale, she treated the young Predacon like a daughter to her. When she arrived the designated spot, there was no sign of the master saboteur anywhere. Seems like all the femme could do was to continue her assignment as she waited.

But it was only a quarter of a sub-cycle later that the femme fatale showed up, hanging upside down on the ceiling. "Looking for me before? It's still best to stay alert even at times of leisure, but I'm glad you're doing the work I've set up for you,"

"I'm sorry, Mistress. It's just because I wanted to know…"

"…What I wanted to talk to you about since you were working? You really are curious, aren't you?"

The young hacker then watched as BlackArachnia hopped down from the ceiling and sat down beside her. "I always thought you supported the Predacon cause, fighting alongside Megatron and all. But what are you trying to tell me? It seems almost… unlike you,"

"There are times I waited until the fruit ripens… and now would have been the perfect time. Have you ever thought why you were different to the other Predacons, and what are the signs?"

"I know I've been tormented a lot… and Megatron and Shokaract never gave me… the respect that I deserve. Why is that?"

BlackArachnia looked over the last remaining rays of the setting sun. "How should I say this… did I ever told you about an incident that happened about two millennia ago?"

"I don't think so… what was it, Mistress?"

"A long time ago, a few eons after Megatron turned against the councils of Planet Cybertron, this was before the Minicons showed up. When we didn't seem to gain enough men for a full-scale assault against the Autobots and Maximals, Tarantulas came up with a sophisticated program. This program consisted of being able to reformat an enemy pod to suit our allegiance, like changing an unborn Autobot stasis pod, to that of a Decepticon. When I was a mere protoform, I used to belong to the Maximals. Until I knew what my allegiance was, I became a ruthless and cunning warrior, capable of unleashing any virus that would corrode the systems of any supercomputer that would overcome our technology. I was once a Maximal, now a Predacon. I know I still have the attitude of a Predacon, but that doesn't mean that my inner compassion would be erased. Ever since you came online, that was when my compassion surfaced. There are times I felt the guilt when I slew many an Autobot or Maximal that stood within after that awakening,"

Within her optics, BlackArachnia hung her head down with shame. "Even if I have to be terminated by either Megatron or Shokaract, I still wish to return to the Maximals to redeem what I have done in the past. But if I am terminated, I wish for you to return to the Maximals and redeem what has been done,"

"What do you mean…" and suddenly, the femme realised one thing. "You mean… I'm also a stolen Maximal as well? But how? I'm… I'm not like them, but how!"

"Think about it. What is the reason why others torment you? Who helped me find what was my original allegiance?" And as she said that, she placed a comforting hand on her protégée's shoulder. "Most Predacons, like the Decepticons, fight for war, conquest, domination, and glory. But you were quite different. And one of the reasons why you were different was your attribute for peace and compassion," Grimly, she stood up to make her exit. "That is why I make this my final wish, if possible,"

"So… what would I have to do? Mistress… how would I…"

The mentor turned her head towards her student. "That is something you must do on your own. Even thought you don't want to fight, others would still get hurt. For our slain comrades, it is still best to fight at times, and it's best doing it for your family, friends, and even comrades. Until then, this is a secret to us for now… Aura," And she then departed, leaving the stunned Predacon wondering what her true allegiance really was.

_End of Flashback_

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(Not the settlement as I had in mind, but at least it's still worth looking at.) These were Ice Freeze's words when he arrived at this part of the Autobot base. During the war between the Autobots/Maximals and Decepticons/Predacons, there had been many settlements on Planet Cybertron back then. Although their Cybertronian homes were long abandoned, the Minicons still kept that architecture and technology in their memory banks. In the large storage part of the base, many Minicons helped build up a temporary settlement from any Earth materials that would prove useful, even though it wasn't the same as back on Planet Cybertron. From one's description, it almost resembled a Mini-Cyber City itself, only in village form.

(Let's just face it, Ice Freeze. Common home planet aside, war going on with each side kicking each other's rear ends to no extent… well maybe with extent when the rest of our comrades are found.) came Trailbreaker's reply.

(Well… at least not all of them are disappointed of being homesick.) sighed Ice Freeze, as he narrowly avoided being hit by Jazz, who listening to music while riding a hover board at the same time. As he zoomed past he cried out, (THIS SONG FROM LINKIN PARK IS SO ADDICTIVE I CAN'T STOP!)

(See? That is one example of the multiculturalism going to Planet Cybertron.)

Another Minicon, Spiral, the blue female leader of the Street Speed Team, just came out of one of the homes after being awoken be Jazz's maniacal cry. (So where's Sunstreaker when you needed her? I can't recharge properly with that maniac about!)

Trailbreaker was already beginning to help carry a large sheet of metal for construction. (Last time I remembered, Tomoyo wanted to show her the culture around planet Earth. You know how she is, she almost reminds me of Commetor in a good sense.)

That is what Tomoyo was doing when she and her partner were outside the Autobase. (I never knew a view from a spot that seems primitive in my optics… it's so beautiful on Planet Earth…)

"I've already told you that I've only moved in about a week ago, making it three days before you were reawakened. But I already like the view, and at least the High Desert is one of the few places were there is less crime wave as I've heard about New York. If I had the chance however, I would be more than happy to show you around Japan someday,"

(Japan… I've heard you speak about that country before while I was outside your classroom, other than knowing it as the 'land of the rising sun'. What was it like over there?)

The girl flicked her hair as it shone brightly in the sun, while turning her head into her partner's direction. "When it comes to machines and robotics, I bet you're going to like Japan, Sun-chan. Although it was a small continent, it has one of the world's largest populations and with good economy as well. Most of the country may have rapidly absorbed most of the western culture in the late 19th and 20th centuries, but we still kept some of our traditional heritage even though it might have been lost over the years. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. As I mentioned to you before, I may not know everything involving technology. But I do know is that my country is among the world's largest and technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, basically almost anything with advanced products,"

(Like that MP3 player you're wearing?) asked Sunstreaker as she pointed out the music player near Tomoyo's belt.

"Oh, you recognise this?" she replied. "You really do seem to enjoy culture very much. I'm impressed!"

The little robot then sat down on the dirt path. (Ever since I was created, I always had an interest in many cultures, especially outside Cybertron. I was so interested that council member Leviticus was more that happy to organise a technician to install a program that allows me to speak fluently in about… about six million languages when I have to travel,"

"SIX MILLION LANGUAGES?" cried Tomoyo in shock, as she nearly fainted from what she heard.

(Hai! What you expect, being stranded on an unfamiliar world? You could never know too many cultures, you know. Well, even though if Jazz is lately addicted to his pop music at times, that would count as culture.)

Tomoyo then sat down next to Sunstreaker. "Now that I've heard you, would you like to listen to one of tracks on my Rurouni Kenshin Soundtrack please? I wonder you could understand some Japanese even though this would be your first time?"

Her partner turned her head towards her. (Maybe I could have a listen to see if Japanese is installed into my language encyclopaedia.) she replied as she took her friend headphones. But the Minicon was about to listen when Alexis' voice came from a few metres away. "Tomoyo, Sunstreaker, we have to return to base! Another Minicon is detected!"

With no other choice, the two girls and the Minicon headed back to base, to the control room, where the rest of the Autobots, kids and Minicons had gathered. While that happened, Red Alert was busily searching for the Minicon's location. "The signal is currently coming from a plains area in the continent of China, Optimus. Good thing there's not much people near the Kunlun Mountains or we'd have trouble keeping the media quiet. At least there's enough open area to manoeuvre around,"

"Good work Red Alert. Would you care to hold the fort this time?" asked Optimus.

"Yes sir!"

"Alright men, let's prepare for launch!" And five of the six Autobots, one Maximal and their partners set off once again, followed by Carlos' cry, "Show the 'cons who's boss!" with the addition of Tomoyo's cry, "Happy hunting!" As the Autobots and Maximal headed towards the warpgate, they hoped to obtain their latest target.

But they had no idea what could happen next.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Have they obtained the signal yet?" asked Megatron as Shatterbelt came into view.

"They have taken the bait sir! Any idea what do next?"

The Decepticon leader surveyed the scene. "Patience, dear comrade. Now all we have to do is to wait for their arrival, distract them for a bit, and then the trap would be sprung. Tarantulas, is the device ready?"

"I only got four words to say. Let the fun… begin," came the hiss.

"Alright men, you heard him. Get into position, and attack on my signal! Distract them while you can!" And without question, the three flyers took to the skies, while the ground units stood a spot worth finding for an attack. _All we have to do now to wait til Optimus Prime, the Autobots and the Maximal to show up. Let's see how they fare against the spider's new device. If it would work for my revenge. _

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The dust rose as the Autobots and Maximal drove thought the terrain of China. So far there was no sign of the Decepticons and Predacons yet, which was the reason why they had to be on guard if they were to find the Minicon.

However, Hotshot wasn't his usual self once more. His mainframe still wavered with concern for the female warrior that lay down in her still damaged shape. After he, Smokescreen, and Wipeout saved her, he somehow couldn't shake off that odd feeling that lingered in his spark. No matter how hard he tried to think of other things, like the oncoming battle that lay ahead of him, it still didn't work, as Scavenger noticed.

"I believe you still aren't your usual self, Hotshot?"

"How do you know?" questioned the youngster as he opened up his COM.

"Please," sighed the instructor. "The way you showed concern for the fembot, it seems like you have something that would have been bothering you for the last few hours,"

A grim look of concern came from the sports car. "I guess so. All I know is that feeling somehow hurts my spark, as if beginning to feel a… weakness inside. I don't know how to describe it,"

That was when Scavenger made his reply. "In other words… love. You seemed to have developed your feelings for the girl,"

"Love? What was that?"

"Back then, I used to know what it was, but I only knew it involved a great passion or fondness. Before I became an instructor, I once had a love in my life. I believe you know about Stormlancer, correct?"

Hotshot then became thoughtful for once. "A little. Could you please tell me about it?"

The bulldozer then explained the details. "I remembered that she was the one who inspired me to become an instructor on Cybertron, which was very much how Rana inspired Wipeout to continue training. For many stellar-cycles she and I fought side-by-side, each helping each other on many dangerous missions. Yes, I knew I loved at the moment we successfully completed our first mission. Sadly, the final moment never came for me to declare my love for her…"

"What happened to her?"

"On one occasion, we were sent to destroy a dangerous weapon the Decepticons obtained. It was one of the most difficult yet, and I ended up damaged near critical. Sadly, as I was about to be destroyed, that was when Stormlancer made her ultimate sacrifice for me. She pushed me out of the way of a charged particle blast… and was killed by it. Although I rarely let that show, I still mourn the loss of my former love. And there's one more thing, Hotshot. If you are to fall in love with someone, be prepared to face the consequences, whether for happiness – or sadness,"

After hearing that, Hotshot now showed more concern and a sad feeling showed inside. "So what should I do, Scavenger?"

The reply started with, "Follow your spark Hotshot…" until Tusklaw's cry came over each COM. "INCOMING MISSILES! AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A FEW MISSILES EITHER!"

"Spread out men! We don't want to get bombarded as one!" shouted Optimus, as each warrior manoeuvred around the shots. There was so many shots in the barrage that most of the bulky warriors like Scavenger, had trouble avoiding them. With that, Wipeout volunteered to scope out the situation.

Transforming into robot mode, he was avoiding missile fire when he spotted a likely target. Instantly, he quickly flew ahead, and began to track him down.

However, Tarantulas knew he has taken the bait, and luckily for him, he has just finished dispatching his device. With that, after he still hid within that spot, it wasn't long until his head was the likely sighting by a Laser Vulcan Cannon Barrel.

"Now you'd be a good little spider, and get out of your hidey-hole. Try to keep your mind on your job a bit better next time,"

A sneer of confidence came from the spider's vocal receptors. "I have three possible roles: Which is, the bait, the trap, and… ahh. The test,"

"What do you mean?" asked the Comanche. "Just put any weaponry down, and move about four steps back,"

"Certainly," he sniggered, and that's when the trap has sounded. As quickly as he dropped down, a floating, drone-like object has started glowing. Only with his quick reflexes was Wipeout able to dodge the beam, and became firing on it, rapid-fire. For a moment, it dodged the blast, and it looked like the last five shots hit it, well and true.

"So much for your scientific insanity… WHAT!"

Unfortunately, the object has survived. Just as Wipeout fired again, the object dodged and shot back. Unfortunately, its aim was true this time, and the Autobot was hit by the blast. A purple glow surrounds him, and he suddenly turned weak. "What the hell…

And transforms into vehicle mode. "…is happening to me!"

"Hee, hee, hee, hee, it works!"

"I don't think so. WIPEOUT – TRANSFORM!"

Nothing happened. "TRANSFORM!" Still no effect from the helicopter. "I get the distinct feeling… the words 'Oh' and 'Crap' do seem to be appropriate,"

Tarantulas then transformed. "Like my Transformation Lock Lens? I did design it not only to keep you trapped in vehicle, or beast mode when it is active; it lowers your power by fifty percent and locks out powerlinking. So you could say goodbye to helping Optimus for now,"

"Y-y-you are not… going to get away with the Minicon, eight-eyes!"

"Oh. There was no Minicon. That was merely a ploy,"

And yes, a shock came to Wipeout. Just as he called out that this was a trap, he was knocked offline by Tarantulas' electromagnetic web net. As he was, the spider sniggered with delight. "One down… Five to go,"

_Back at the base… _

"No! Wipeout!" screamed Tomoyo, as she watched in horror. Which cause Alexis quickly then turned to Red Alert.

"Red Alert, can you warn the others?"

Without question the medic instantly made contact. "This is Red Alert to Optimus! We've just received a call that this was a trap, to test out a new device of Tarantulas's. Stay aware, and look out!"

While out on the battlefield, the Autobots and Maximal received the call. "You heard him. Be on your guard, men, if we have to survive this!"

"The only this that would survive would be the scrap heap!" and the warriors then transformed as Megatron made his appearance, along with the rest of the Decepticons and Predacons. "I wonder how you would go now that your only aerial warrior is down for the count?"

"Not a chance, Megatron! Autobots, attack!"

With that, most of the army went into attack mode, and firepower was exchanged at each side. Before Optimus charged in, he gave Tusklaw an order. "Tusklaw, go and help Wipeout, while we'll hold them off!"

"Sir!" replied the mammoth, and saluting as he went, he sped off in vehicle mode. Unbeknownst to him however, the Lock Lens began following him, without any signs of being detected.

When Tusklaw arrived, and transformed into robot mode, he found Wipeout trapped inside the electromagnetic webbing. "Hey Wipeout, what happened to you?"

There was a flicker on the monitor, and Wipeout's disgruntled and irritated face appeared on screen. "Gggnnnhh… d-did you guys… receive my message?"

"We did. Prime's just engaging the enemy right now. Hopefully he could try to stop whatever's out there picking us off. What happened to you?"

"Three w-words. I can't transform."

The warrior then helped tear off the webbing off his comrade. "Don't worry, we'll get you out of here in no time. What ever that gizmo is, it must've… AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"

Just now, the Lens instantly zapped Tusklaw. And forced him to switch into beast mode. "See what I mean?" groaned Wipeout.

"Now I know. With that device, the rest of us would be rendered useless since of its effects!"

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning in other words…" With that, two electromagnetic webs covered them.

"We're screwed," they both said, before they were electrocuted offline.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Dream sequence… _

"_YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY USELESS! USELESS! YOU CAUSED THE DEATH OF ONE OF OUR GREATEST WARRIORS, AND NOW WE ARE BEING IN DANGER OF HAVING OUR SYSTEMS HACKED IN!" _

"_Megatron, no! I wasn't the one to cause Mistress's termination!" _

"_Oh yes you did. Not only that, YOU ALSO ALLOWED ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ASSASSINS TO ESCAPE AS WELL! I HAVE NOT OTHER CHOICE BUT TO MAKE YOU SUFFER SO BADLY YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ONLINE!" _

"_Megatron, please stop. Please, I beg of you, I promise to be competent from now on! NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!" _

_End of Dream sequence…_

"GASP!"

The stretcher instantly shook, and the femme who was recovering before woke up with shock, sitting both upright. Even though it didn't look like it, she was instantly dripping in cold sweat.

"I remember now… Megatron treating me as a useless scraplet… how could he?"

For a moment, she was on the verge of crying, as memories of that harmed her mental state. But that changed when she saw that she wasn't in the cavern anymore.

Looking around, she saw that she was in some sort of medical facility. Rarely, the Decepticons and Predacons never gave her much treatment until she was nearly on the verge of being sent into terminal stasis. _Strange, I couldn't have been in… _Until a cry interrupted her.

"Smokescreen!"

She quickly whirled around. She saw a screen, which projected some sort of control room. And watching the room screen was Red Alert, the medic, six children, and six Minicons. What they were watching in horror was the battle that unfolded within their eyes and optics.

They saw Smokescreen affected by the Lock Lens' power… they saw the Autobots pinned down under fire by the Decepticons and Predacons… and Starscream and the flyers firing away, surrounding them. As Aura watched, she then cried out, holding her head.

"NO! I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT, I JUST DON…"

She then stopped for a while. These warriors… they couldn't have been the same ones that must have saved her, right? How could the ones that would be her enemy save her, of all Cybertronians? It just doesn't seem right. Unless…

If her audio receptors were still working, they might have some proof that she was saved, right? It may have been a long time, but she could give it a try. Although they have just been fixed, she attempted to play the audio files of what happened, and a holographic screen appeared in front of her. And on that screen, it showed a yellow Autobot, Hotshot, on screen, saying something. When she watched, she thought he was about her age.

"…_Don't you think you're being a bit too judgemental? So what if she might be a Predacon? Despite that the unity is more important than one soldier, I couldn't possible leave a comrade who is in need of help, especially after what happened with Wheeljack! Resist if you want, but let her be! Even though she might be bad, she will be in our debt once we helped her to recovery! I won't stop to help one in need, even in the times of bad! I'll take full responsibility if I have too!"_

She gasped at the effect of those words. An Autobot, trying to save her, even in such possible risks? Somehow, she felt something that beat inside her spark, as more than a sign of admiration. Was that feeling she felt, was…love? Despite realising it a bit late, she realised she was in the Autobot Base, somewhere on a planet called Earth.

Aura watched the screen again. This time, she saw Hotshot getting hit on the shoulder by laser fire by the Decepticons and Predacons in horror. She was shocked at first, and then… she finally knew all along.

_No matter how I try to run from a fight… another comrade would be killed even if I do! Oh by Primus, what have I done? _

Looking at herself, she saw that she was connected by many wires, that of a medical stretcher. No matter what condition she was in, a part of her wanted to repay what that Autobot has done… even though he was her enemy. A part of her still resisted her will against fighting… but what's done… is done.

_I must not hold back… I mustn't run away like the coward I was before! _Without fear for the first time, she disconnected the wires, and came off the bed. Although her steps were wobbly at first, she managed to support herself. She was nearly at full recovery, but there was no time. The others… the ones who saved her, unlike the Decepticons and Predacons… they need her help now, as she tried to make her way into a nearby warp gate.

In the control room, the others watched the horrific battle go on, as the Autobots and Maximal continued losing ground.

"There must be something we must do to save them!" shouted Billy, and Fred was whining like an infant.

"I WANT MY MOMMY!"

Tomoyo was watching the battle with horror. "I don't know… whether I could take anymore of this…"

(DAMN THAT TARANTULAS!) seethed Jazz in anger. (JUST LET ME AT 'EM!) but he was restrained by REV. (There's nothing you could do now, and you have to get past me first! The only thing you're getting is a huge footprint with a flattened you in it!)

"Red Alert! What can we do?" cried Rad.

For the first time, Red Alert became worried. "This is bad… we're going to need a miracle for something like this…" Until…

(Hey, where's the femme?) asked Grindor all of a sudden.

"WHAT? Are you sure?" came the reply from the remaining occupants, as the skateboard pointed out at the screen. There was no sign of the downed warrior, and the wires were removed. (Where could she have gone off too?) asked High Wire in surprise.

And that's when the Klaxon sounded. "Someone's in the warp room!" shouted Alexis, as the security camera opened up the screen. When Red Alert and the others looked, there was a cry of surprise from all of them… and they especially had a good reason why. There was the downed femme, and she was at the warp gate.

"Whoever you are, what do you think you're doing? You're not going to trash our friends, are you?" yelled Carlos in a rage.

The femme then turned to the screen. "My name is Aura, kid. And although I'm of Predacon heritage, I order you to trust me on this!"

"Why's that?" asked Tomoyo in surprise.

"Please, there's no time! I order you to warp me into Hotshot's coordinates!"

(Are you… sure? You're not fully recovered yet!) cried out Sureshock.

"I don't care, I'm not going to die in vain just because you guys saved me! I'm only going because I want to atone the many mistakes of what I have done in the past, and that I've been afraid of fighting for a long time! After hearing Hotshot's words, I feel that I must help him and the other Autobots and Maximal, no matter the barriers! I have to settle the score now!"

"Y-you can't!" replied Red Alert. "There's a high chance that you would be affected by the Transformation Lock Lens…"

"I GAVE YOU AN ORDER SOLDIER, AND THAT IS TO WARP ME ONTO THE BATTLEFIELD! DO YOU UNDERSTAND, OR BECAUSE YOU AUTOBOTS DON'T CARE AT ALL?" she screamed. She screamed so loudly from the bottom of her spark, that she would have become an effective general without her weaknesses. By the time she has finished yelling, she was nearly worn out.

That was when all of the others stood still. They wouldn't want another opponent to deal with if they refused her order. Although he was reluctant, Red Alert then keyed in the co-ordinates. "All right. I'm sending you the co-ordinates right now! Prepare for launch!"

"You can't be serious!" yelled Carlos in shock, until Sunstreaker grabbed him by the collar. "Listen up, Carlos. You don't want her to become an enemy to you, do you? She is only trying to help repay what she has done. It's her fight after all. If you still wouldn't shut up about that bullshit, I'll be more than likely to have your brains painted onto the control panel," The Minicon said it with a tone so icy that Carlos would have wet himself.

"I-I-I s-s-see w-what you mean. I-I-I'm sorry," and she automatically let go of his shirt. Tomoyo was almost like she had turned frozen. "Sunstreaker…"

(Better. Much better.)

And that was when the familiar noise of the warp gate then came, and the female warrior was then warped by the power as she disappeared from the room. As the others watched, a word came from Tomoyo's mouth. "Aura…"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, things still didn't look good for the Autobots. Along with Wipeout and Tusklaw, Smokescreen was also hit, and couldn't transform so the only attack he could do was using his crane arm and his strength to ram his opponents, which was useless since his strength was halved. Scavenger eventually managed to destroy the Lens, only for Tarantulas to have an extra for back up. And now, it was the bulldozer who was stuck in his vehicle mode, but not without Sideways being knocked offline.

Unfortunately for Optimus, he was one of the only few to avoid the Lens so far, along with Hotshot. However, since he was busily avoiding missile and laser fire, he was become worn out. As a result, it looked as Megatron was going to finish him off with the Star Sabre.

"Oh, how I love the Lock Lens, it is so useful in a way. Especially since most of your men were beaten by each and every one of us,"

"You're not going to get away with it, Megatron, and there's still some hope. I swear you're going to fall in this battle!"

The Decepticon leader prepared his sword for the finish. "Say what you like, but it's futile. You are going to fall, and the Decepticons and Predacons will achieve victory. Farewell… Optimus Prime!"

For a moment, things looked bad for the Autobot Leader as he braced himself for the blow. If he was to die, he was to die with honour, not being defeated by an enemy who uses cheap tricks. Now that things were blowing in the enemy's favour… it looked like… there was going to be defeat.

But just as Prime was about to be killed… he did not feel the blade pierce his armour. Instead… he then recoiled in shock, as with Hotshot. Who saved him by blocking the blade with both hands… was none other than… Aura.

"YOU?" shrieked Megatron in shock as he saw the former Predacon holding the blade. "What are you doing here? I thought I finished you off as the carcass you were! Now get out of my way so I can finish Prime off!"

"No I would not, Megatron! You have caused enough suffering as I have seen, and you will not destroy the ones that saved me!"

"So, you have obtained a new femme, hmm, Prime? I knew you had a soft spot for Elita-1, but this is ridiculous!"

"Save your breath, tubby! You gave out promises you never intended to keep, and you only fuelled my anger for you! The only one who saved me was Hotshot!" And Hotshot then headed up to the femme. "You wanted to help us all along?"

Aura was still struggling with the sword. "I couldn't leave a deed un-bargained for didn't I?" she asked grimly. "You were the only one that allowed me to give myself the courage to win!"

"AND HERE'S YOUR REWARD!" exploded Megatron, as he wasn't prepared for nothing. With an angry roar, he kicked the femme, and then fired a blast so powerful, that the femme was sent screaming into a rocky face near the plains. When that was seen, Hotshot became shocked.

"Aura, no!" cried the youngster, but unfortunately, he was zapped by the Transformation Lock Lens. Now it was his turn to become stuck in vehicle mode. "WHY YOU…"

"Hotshot, don't do it!" yelled out Optimus, as the sports car charged with anger, no matter the effect of the Lens. Which led to Megatron impaling his windscreen and hoisting him by the elongated horns.

"I honour you with trying to defend a sorry excuse of a Predacon soldier, but that was definitely unnecessary as scrap heap. Now Optimus, sit back as I destroy you precious comrade!" and he spread open his horns to break off the roof, while the Autobot leader watched in horror.

Aura wasn't down for the count however. She was struggling to get up, and she wanted to help the others if it wasn't her left side of her stomach that suffered severe damage. No matter what, she wanted to help the ones who saved her more than ever, even though she was damaged to nearly thirty percent. She watched on in horror as the scene unfolded.

She saw most of the Autobot and Maximal warriors damaged to near stasis lock… a sad sight to her even at a distance. It was then that inner voices came into her head.

_It is impossible – you can't help them now. _

_No, there is still a way. Are you sure you want to help them still. _

"Please… stop it,"

_They're not worth it – just let them suffer. You're a Predacon, after all. _

"No, I am not…"

_They have to be saved. Do not let anything hold you back. _

"I won't…"

_Go back to Megatron. Like the sorry bitch you are… _

She couldn't take it anymore.

"I DON'T WANT THEM TO DIE!"

For a moment, everything stood still at her cry to the heavens. But then… something did happen. The wall where Aura has crashed into… has begun to glow in an intense, familiar, green light.

"What the… there was actually a Minicon there all this time?" shouted Megatron.

He got his answer all right. The panel was floating toward the damaged femme's hands as she watched with astonishment. As the panel opened up, the Minicon was revealed. It was crystallised a light, air-like blue in colour, as she came from the winds herself. She also has a white and turquoise stripe pattern on her. Despite her small appearance, there was a strong, determined strength that whelmed inside of her. Her parts looked like they were of a Cybertronian hovercraft, as with her wrist-mounted fans on her. Not only she wore a helmet on and that she almost looked like a sort of holy priestess, Aura then recognised her.

"Is that… you? W-wind…"

(Yes. It has been a long time, Aura. Now that we have met again, it would seem that you needed my help.)

"It is looking bad. The ones who saved me look to be about to become scrap metal if we don't do something fast! And I wish I could still fight in the condition I am in now!"

The little Minicon looked up at her newfound partner with a new sense of hope in her optics. (There is a new way to help you now. It is also one of BlackArachnia's final wishes before she was terminated.)

"She wanted to help…"

(Hush, child. A long time ago, before she embarked on her final mission, she enlisted me to help her with a gift. A gift that would help you, yes. She made a pact that if you ever had a chance to return to the side where your spark is truly set at, you will powerlink with me for the first time. What she installed inside my systems was a mini-quantum surge power pack; one would help increase your power nearly tenfold. But that would only work for a few occasions. And then after that – you just obtain a normal power-up. But I'm guaranteed that the new power surge would gain you a new form. But I must ask one last question before we fight: Are you sure you're willing to fight for the sake of the ones you love?)

Facing with no other choice even since her torment, the former Predacon clenched her fists, while Energon tears of courage began to seep out. "I was always afraid before. But – let's do this. I want… I want to fight in the rightful allegiance… alongside Hotshot!"

The burst of courage impressed the new Minicon. (That's the spirit Aura. Now do your thing.)

At that time, Starscream then saw the lone target with his own optics, blind of the Minicon he saw with her. "Time to finish that worthless scraplet for good! Activating NULL LASER CANNONS!"

"You idiot! There's a Minicon with…" but apparently, Starscream didn't listen to Shatterbelt's words. By that time, it was too late when the twin beams of light made contact with the ground Aura was standing on. For a moment… as the explosion rocked the battlefield… it almost looked like nothing would survive it.

Megatron, who just threw Hotshot some other distance away, growled at the site. "What a waste of a Minicon prize. But to waste not, want not. Time to deliver the final blow to you, Optimus Prime!" But just as he did so, a voice rose from the explosion site.

"So much torture you gave me… I've been waiting a million years for this moment. I will not stand your brutality any longer!"

"It can't be!" shuddered Megatron. "I thought Starscream would have destroyed you!"

"The choice I have made… I want to be on a side that gives out the most integrity. WINDCHASER – POWERLINK!"

A new burst of light came from the smoke, starting with the Minicon flying out first, followed by Aura. Transforming into a small, sleek, Cybertronian hovercraft, she then powerlinked with her larger comrade as she took to the skies, while the rest of the stunned Autobots, Maximal, Decepticons, Predacons, Minicons and children watched on. With a satisfying click, not only did Aura felt the surge of the power boost, she also began to rise into a new level of metamorphosis, the same time when she converted to her once-damaged jet mode.

A fiery light erupted from the Minicon as the power began to flow into Aura's circuits. Red and gold feathers floated from her body, as it shifted and changed with the fiery heat. Metallic, but vibrant feathers coated her vehicle mode slightly, making it shiny, formidable and coated with aerodynamic armour, and as the power continued flowing, beast-like features surfaced, with sharp, deadly talons flexing as they appeared. Her wings were not only coated with the primal armour, the jet parts were also upgraded with powerful turbines and a light weapons system. On each wing, there was a Japanese kanji character/word for the emerging beast mode. As Windchaser's quantum surge pulsed on, three sets of mechanical, whip-like bird tails appeared gracefully, like glowing ribbons. Finally, as the jet cockpit and head vanished, a beautiful and graceful crested bird head of a mechanical design, with a streamlined beak, replaced them. When that was completed, the newly formed beast let out a loose screech, and flew up into hot pursuit of her foes, leaving sparks and feathers behind.

"Fushichou…" murmured Tomoyo as she watched the amazing spectacle on screen.

"What does that mean?" asked Carlos, since he wasn't in Japanese class.

"Japanese for the word, phoenix. Aura's now…"

"A Transmetal Phoenix!" finished Alexis.

Up in the air, both Cyclonus and Starscream were confident about defeating the new threat, but Waspinator however, was anxious.

"Hey look, a flying barbecue chicken!"

"I'm so scared!" added the sarcastic reply.

"But Waspinator is!" buzzed the Predacon, and he had the reason to be scared. Because just now, he was totalled into a multiple amount of pieces as Aura flew by, flying at Mach 3. Spewing flames as the wasp, she not only broke him up with a sonic boom, the phoenix also burnt him practically into a crisp. Which caused the two remaining flyers to fire away at the bird, but she had other plans.

"Accessing Jet Mode," and as her words suggested, parts of her body then converted to that of some Cybertronian Concorde Jet, only equipped with weaponry. Manoeuvring the same time as firing, she continually blasted the two flyers out of the sky, along with destroying the Transformation Lock Lens and taking out Tarantulas with it. She flew so fast that the ground forces couldn't land a shot at her. There was only one final act in this battle Aura had to do.

"AURA – MAXIMISE!" As she shifted back into her beast mode, she then began to transform. Her back separated slightly from her wings, and as on a turntable, her entire body moved anti-clockwise. The phoenix feet then extended and converted to arms and fists, while the rear and back twisted and converted into some sort of Cybertronian battle dress, only with a mix of sapphire, crystal with red and gold streaks. The fighter legs then came out between the beast head's chin and the inside of the skirt, and the rest of the phoenix chest reconfigured itself into the robot torso. Somehow, the phoenix head split up and swung over to the sides, like holsters. The wings then swivelled back into their normal position. Finally, a feather-helmeted head appeared, with signs of shoulder-length hair even sticking out of the helmet.

Not pleased at the result the former Predacon has become, Megatron growled with disgust. "Men! Switch to heavy artillery! Do whatever you have to do to destroy that traitor! FULL BLAST MODE!" With that, Megatron's upper torso raised itself, switched the cannon around, along with Leader-1's link up. Along with the remaining land forces, the Decepticon leader's weaponry began firing anew. As the female then watched, she did not manoeuvre around the shots, but instead faced them without fear and took the brunt of the force full-on.

"Is she crazy?" yelled Smokescreen as the effects of the Lens wore off. "She's going to get vaporised!" But as he watched…

"No Smokescreen, she's not getting destroyed! She's… blocking the combined blast!" replied Optimus.

"How could she do that?" cried Rad back at Autobase HQ.

"Whatever she's doing to that arsenal, she's glowing more than disintegrating!" added Red Alert, while Billy and Fred were too shocked to say anything.

As the blast continued pounding on, many thoughts filled up Aura's mainframe as she did that. But there was once thought that she wanted to say aloud. _Windchaser, let's see if this power should work – on offensive mode. _

For a moment, she was slowly pushed by the combined blast, but the miracle came just in time. With the firepower and the sun's rays powering her even further, she slowly began to use that very same power that was used against her – to absorb it for her own use. Holding her palms out in front of her, a glowing ball appeared when she began to absorb the laser energy, along with a ring of smaller, glowing orbs surrounding her.

Although the ground forces couldn't see it, they somehow noticed that the femme survived. As the Autobots watched, the Decepticons stopped firing.

"Sir, what is she doing?" asked Demolishor in shock.

For the first time, Megatron felt fear. "I don't know, Demolishor. I… don't know,"

Most astonished looks appeared from each side to see the spectacle that happened. While the floating warrior continued shining, the circlet of orbs raised themselves slowly until they were above her head, along with the giant orb held above her in the centre. For the first time, there was no fear of fighting within the femme's spark; no holding back and she now had the power to believe within her. When the ring of orbs automatically merged with the larger orb, she knew that it was time to use it, as she then used her entire body weight to throw the ball into a new attack.

"FUSHICHOU NO ORORURA HONO'O!" she shrieked, as she threw the now burning ball down at her former teammates. As the ball came hurtling down at high speed, as it's name mentions, it then transformed into a giant, angry, glowing phoenix that soared towards the targets below. By then… it was too late for the rest of the Decepticons as a huge, explosive impact rocked the Kunlun Mountains and the area around it. By the time the rising dust and smoke began to settle, and the Autobots and Maximal each cleared their optics… a shocking sight awaited them.

There, all of the remaining Decepticons were lying down, most of them in about to go into stasis lock while spread outside a crater the former Predacon made. Even Megatron, who would have been the last one with most power remaining, was down.

"This is… suicide! Megatron, what… shall we do?" yelled Shatterbelt as he struggle to say his words.

"Leave her. If she wants to be on the side that falls, then she'd better be prepared for… next time. We have… no need for her anyway. R-r-retreat," And with no other option, all of the damaged and humiliated Decepticon and Predacon forces, who realised that a single femme has defeated them, has warped out of the plains.

As she watched them withdraw from the battlefield, the young femme felt no guilt, and for once, a true smile came on her face for the first time after achieving her first victory. But a powerful attack has to have a downside, and the smiling warrior then let relief and the loss of energy take her toll. Slowly, but gracefully, the warrior began to gain speed as she fell.

Of course, Hotshot wasn't going to let that happen, as with a cry, he sped towards her in vehicle mode. When Wipeout, who was partially damaged, attempted to catch her, but failed, it was the Autobot youngster who saved her, just as she saved him a few minutes ago. As the other damaged Autobots and the one Maximal joined up with Hotshot, Optimus was the first to speak up. "Is she going to be alright?" he asked with concern.

"Optimus, look!" cried Tusklaw, as the others watched with amazement, as her chest glowed where the Predacon symbol once was. When the glow died down, a new, shining Maximal insignia took its place, showing that she found her rightful home.

Struggling, Aura opened her optics for a moment and saw Hotshot's face. "Y… you're Hotshot… right?"

"How do you know my name?"

"I-I-I don't know. B… but what I… do know… I owe you my life…" When she was done speaking, she then went into stasis lock, a happy smile still on her face.

"NO! Please, stay with me!"

Scavenger placed his giant hand on the youngster's shoulder. "It's alright. She's only gone into stasis lock. But what we could do now, is to return to base,"

(That's right.) added a worn out Windchaser, and without question, the mission was completed. And the heroic force returned back to headquarters, but not after Scavenger and Tusklaw covered up the damage on the terrain.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Something glowed above Aura as she was in darkness. _The Minicon panel!_ Although she tried to reach it, her arms were too heavy.

_How strange, _she thought as she came back online. Two pair of optics was above her, each with concern. When she did come back online, she saw the faces of Hotshot and Smokescreen.

"Where…"

Smokescreen then interrupted her before she could slowly ask. "You're back at the Medical Bay. Although I wouldn't want to admit it, but… umm, how could I say this…?"

"Don't worry Smokescreen, I tell the rest. What he was trying to say was, because of you, you saved us all and snagged the Minicon,"

A small look of shock came onto the femme's face. "You mean… I actually succeeded on my very first mission with you?"

"Well, yes," asked the youngster. "But why did you say that? You mean… this was your first time?"

Somewhat, the look of sadness returned to her as she heard those words. "Maybe it would have been on my programming… but I don't think this would be one memory I would like to see come into light at first,"

"Don't worry girl, we'll understand. After all you did manage to save us," replied Smokescreen, and the femme began.

"I never wanted to fight… why couldn't they listen to me? When I was born, somewhat I was always alienated from the others. Many times, I wondered about why I was always different to the other Predacons of my brethren. I was always tormented, teased, and bullied all the way through the ranks. In other words… I was always the odd one out. For a moment, I never knew why I was always treated with shame among my so-called teammates,"

"What?" demanded Hotshot with a surprise. "They always did that?"

She then nodded. "They did that because not only I was different, it was because I never enjoyed fighting. There were always times I never wanted to see others getting hurt or killed out in the battlefield… and I'm usually preferring to drag most of the injured out of the line of fire. But even so, the injured I've saved still didn't give me the respect I deserve.

However, what my true talent was that I was able to find a passion for hacking into any security system an opponent builds, even with the latest equipment, and I always am happy when it comes to being a computer whiz. That was the only pride I have gained over the many stellar-cycles. Have you ever heard of the Predacon technician, BlackArachnia?"

"She does sound familiar," replied Wipeout as he'd just entered the Medical Bay. "One of the most feared fighters. How come?"

"BlackArachnia was the only true warrior gave me respect. Even though she was strict, she treated me as if I was her daughter. Time and time again, I excelled in many hacking trials, and I became a top student. Sadly, that still didn't admire Shokaract and Megatron.

It was then that BlackArachnia decided to tell me the truth after many stellar-cycles has passed. She told me that I was in fact a Maximal reprogrammed and reformatted into Predacon heritage. To my horror, that was the reason why I was treated so badly all this time, ever since a glitch in my reformatting.

Before she was killed, she made a promise for me to return to the Maximals if I had a chance. That was also said when she entrusted an assassin to look after me one I've returned, who killed her. However, the chance never came, and I was blamed for not only allowing BlackArachnia to be destroyed, I also let the assassin escape at that time. Brutally tortured, I suffered so much pain," Tears were overwhelming in her optics as she spoke that. "Sob… I never wanted to fight anymore after that… but Megatron wouldn't listen to me!"

Wipeout then walked over to the repair table she was on. "Aura, sometimes it is not easy to want to fight, many of our friends were killed even if you don't fight,"

"That's right!" added Hotshot with a shout. "For our slain comrades, it is still best to fight at times, and it's best doing it for your family, friends, and even comrades,"

Those were the very same words BlackArachnia told her long ago, which caused the Transmetal Phoenix to daydream. For a moment, she thought she could see her guardian standing in Hotshot's place, smiling at her. "B…BlackArachnia?"

Smokescreen was surprised for a moment. "Hey, that's Hotshot, Aura. And since you saved us all, we owe you big time. In fact, even though I was reluctant at first when, Hotshot, Wipeout and I first found you, I'm glad you've helped us on that battle. Besides, it was Hotshot who convinced us to save you,"

The femme looked over in surprise. Then in a twist of fate, she automatically embraced the youngster in a huge, hard hug, as she cried happy Energon tears. "Oh Hotshot… thank you so much for saving me!"

"Not a problem, but could you stop choking off my circulation please?" And with that, she automatically let go of him.

Aura focused her optics on Wipeout, and then Smokescreen. "I guess in your debt as well… Wipeout… big brother…"

And that was when it was the crane's turn to stutter. "B-big b-brother?"

"Tee hee, isn't it kawaii (cute)?" giggled Tomoyo as she entered with Sunstreaker, Alexis and Sureshock. "She thinks you're her big brother, obviously after donating part of your circuitry in order to save her,"

"Why am I not surprised?" sighed Alexis, while both the two Minicons were giggling. That was when Wipeout spoke out, "I came because Optimus wanted to welcome you. You care to join us?"

"Why not?" asked the phoenix happily as she hopped off of her table. When she did, that was when a smiling Hotshot asked her. "Would you like a tour of the base along the way, Aura?"

"Sure! After I heard your words when I was found, I was so happy," she replied enthusiastically as she held the sports car's hand. After all, what could hurt to have a tour around the base?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The entire Autobot, Maximal and Minicon factions in the base, including the kids assembled at the control room, awaiting the arrival. There was much chattering going on as they wondered what would happen next once Aura arrived. That was when the doors opened automatically, and the remaining bots came in. First Wipeout arrived, then Smokescreen, and finally, Hotshot, followed by Aura. When she arrived, she looked a bit sheepish and excited at the same time, since that she has finally arrived by BlackArachnia's wish. After the Autobots and Maximal lined up, Optimus then let out a shout, "Attention! Aura, step forward!" And the phoenix did what she was told, and walked up to the Autobot commander. She was nervous for a moment, having to stand in front of the leader that was once her greatest enemy. That was when he spoke again.

"With the powers of the Matrix bestowed to me, it brings me great pleasure that I, Optimus Prime, Leader of the Autobots, wel…"

"Ahem!" That was Tusklaw.

"…sorry. And Maximals, welcome you, Aura, former Predacon warrior, now earned the rightful honour and rank of Heroic Maximal Warrior!"

He then held out his hand, and reluctantly, Aura shook it after her salute. Although she was nearly on the verge of stuttering, she used the remaining energy to say this aloud.

"AND TO DEFEAT MEGATRON!"

Some of the others where surprised at the words the youngster has chosen, but only three seconds later, the base was let loose into a cheer. Most of the Autobots and Maximal were clapping, with Hotshot the loudest of them all. While Rad, Carlos, Alexis clapped loudly and smiling, Billy and Fred were sobbing into each other but Tomoyo was being her hyperactive self, jumping up and down cheering many times while pumping upwards ecstatically with her fist. The Minicons were also beeping in delight, and Aura could see Windchaser whistling so loud that her vocal receptors would have been ruptured. She felt so happy that a faction has finally accepted her with the well-earned respect and honour. At last, she found her newest home, and her love. _Oh BlackArachnia, your wish has finally been granted… and I'm a fully-fledged Maximal at long last. Thank you so much, mistress…_

New Maximals: Aura

New Minicons: Ice Freeze, Armorhide, and Windchaser

**Maximal Identification **

Name: AURA  
Faction: MAXIMAL  
Alternate Form: Transmetal Phoenix/Futuristic Concorde  
Minicon Partner: WINDCHASER  
Function: High-Speed Air Assault/Technician/Engineer  
Quote: "I only want to fight where I truly belong,"

Once a former PREDACON, AURA was orphaned by the two warlike races after her status pod was stolen from a legendary MAXIMAL tribe. Ever since she was brought online, she was treated very harshly because of her strong dislike of fighting, war, and violence, which often got her into a lot of trouble with MEGATRON. After too many nasty incidents and mission failures, she was brutally tortured as a punishment, and abandoned in a vast cave on Planet Earth as a battered and corroding carcass, where she was later found and rescued by HOTSHOT, WIPEOUT and SMOKESCREEN. Little did she know, she actually has some hidden fighting potential. Although AURA finally found her spark truly in the rightful hands of the AUTOBOTS and MAXIMALS, will her warrior's spark surface for this battle?

Strength - 6.5  
Intelligence - 9.0  
Speed - 10.0  
Endurance - 6.5  
Rank - 9.0  
Courage - 9.0  
Fireblast - 8.0  
Skill - 8.0

_To be continued… _

Final Genesis: OH YEAH! My first female Maximal warrior to be added to this fic! What do you think of this chapter? It came just in time too, and sorry for the late arrival! Any days or weeks later, and wouldn't be updating in a while after my entire school holidays in Japan! And speaking of Japan:

**Fushichou No Ororura Hono'o** – roughly translated as Phoenix Flare of Aurora. Though I would have to put Aurora into katakana (writing associated with western things)

I don't think that I would make some speeches quite dramatic, as you saw with Hotshot when he first finds Aura. Then again, I don't think BlackArachnia was a bit of a motherly figure in the Beast Wars and Beast Machines Series. Then again, it's been a while since I even seen Beast Wars, and I have yet to see Beast Machines.

There's a reason why I made Sureshock and Spiral girls. Why? Not only it seems the Americans were being a bit sexist (no offence), but I also found out the genders out in the More Than Meets the Eye Profile books. And what do you think of Armorhide's introduction in the chapter?

Not only that, it's a good this that this came in time, because in two sleeps time, IT'S OFF TO JAPAN FOR ME FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS! I did make a mission to myself to finish this chapter by the start of the school holidays.

Disclaimer: I obtained the Transformation Lock Lens device from the Beast Wars episode, 'The Probe', so it isn't mine, just that I only upgraded it a bit. I believe that technology is similar to that in the Transformers Generation 1 episode, 'Autobot Run'?

And last but not least, Aura has something to say!

Aura: No matter how difficult life is at times, believe in yourself, and life is fun! (Says that with her arm around Hotshot and having the victory symbol with her left fingers)

Hotshot: Yep!

FG: Well, that's it for now. Until then, have fun on the holidays!

Jya ne!

This is Final Genesis, signing out!

P.S. Read and review!


	7. The Vacation and Tomoyo's Childhood

Final Genesis: Another chapter has come! And it's only a few days until my 18th birthday on the 7th of March! Unfortunately, since of laziness combined with Year 12 this year, it has been hard trying to find out what to write up next. But nevertheless, here's the chapter, along with responses!

**Chiomon: **I'm glad you liked my previous chapter, which was the best yet I could come with so far!

**Zehiria: **I'm in the middle of 'Tales of the Otori' – Brilliance of the Moon – interesting that you recognised the line I used. Hope you enjoy this chapter – unfortunately, there are times I wish I would have been good at writing up social scenes like sleepovers and all.

**Flamestrike: **I don't blame you. I'm glad that your e-mail address was working again, for more ideas to be sent.

**Deceptigirl: **Thank you for your kind words. Hope the next chapter of 'The Mystical Legacy' goes well!

**Pivot: **Glad you liked the chapters so far! Keep up the good work in your stories! I still keep thinking of Dirt Boss's bath time…

Now, disclaimer!

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The only characters I own are the ones that I made. The shows I've mentioned, Rurouni Kenshin, Zoids Chaotic Century and Fruits Basket, I also do not own them, along with the cooking contest show, Iron Chef. The songs, 'Chase' and 'Without Me' (Eminem song) are also not mine. This time, this chapter is set in 'Vacation'.

For Tomoyo's clothing, since I know she doesn't wear her traditional sailor-suit school uniform all the time, so here's her style: A black tank top with a large, white kanji for 'wish' on the back, a pair of navy jeans, white socks, and last but not least, pink and white Adias shoes.

Finally, I've added a surname for each of the kids, since it seems that Carlos's last name has been mentioned in Energon, along with Rad's in a Wikipedia article. Here they are:

Bradley 'Rad' White  
Carlos Lopez  
Alexis Richards  
Billy Orcot  
Fred Leonard  
Tomoyo Shirakura

And now, let the chapter begin!

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 7: The Vacation and Tomoyo's Childhood**

"_Now let's see… what should I obtain that would be best for the Autobots and Maximals… ah, 'Wash & Wax Car Detergent' – hopefully it'll work for Transmetal Animals despite Animal Rights!"_

If Tomoyo was not practising either her violin or her keyboard (her ojii-san gave her), you would usually find her doing the shopping duty, which is what she was currently doing at the moment. But she seems to other plans along with buying supplies for the two Transformer armies. In two more bags she was carrying in the trolley, she also bought some ingredients from a gourmet market. If there's another hobby Tomoyo enjoys other than playing music, along with singing, it's cooking she's fond of.

"That'll be $23.50 dollars, Little Miss," requested the clerk cheerfully; as he then noticed the load the Japanese girl was carrying. "Whoa, are you sure you're able to carry all this by yourself? With the other bags, it's like you're cooking up a feast or something!"

"That's exactly what I'm going to do when I arrive at friend's place," Tomoyo replied, although in her mind she was actually going to cook her feast at Autobot/Maximal HQ. "Hope you have a good afternoon!" she added as she then carried the bags out to the exit of the supermarket, with the clerk replying, "Same for you, miss, and hope you don't get wet this afternoon!"

With the shopping duty completed, she eagerly carried the load to the parking lot, where her partner Sunstreaker was at the moment. When she woke up from her doze, she seemed shocked even in vehicle mode.

(Isn't this a bit much for me to carry? I know I've had enough storage space but this is ridiculous!)

"I'd just thought I'll surprise the others by making a feast for a number of victories lately. If only Cybertronians have taste circuits or something…"

(What are you talking about, Tomoyo-chan?)Asked her partner as they then set off onto the street and exiting from the shopping mall. (It doesn't hurt for me to try something new. Darn, must have been given some of Grindor's traits…)

"Maybe, Sunstreaker. But it would be a good chance to show the others some of my talents. Since you showed me some of your talents, speaking many languages across the galaxy, I could do with demonstrating mine," Tomoyo replied. "You won't mind if you could help me with the cooking, would you?"

There was a slight chuckle that came from the motorcycle as she drove her way along the road. (Maybe I will, since you asked in such a polite tone. As long as I don't leave any plutonium in any ingredients, I don't have to worry about being a culprit for poisoning humans. Who taught you how to cook well anyway?)

Tomoyo then noticed that we were a few roads away until we reached HQ. "My parents taught me how to cook when was about five years old. But… I guess that was a while ago…"

(Exactly what do you mean by… 'A while ago'?)

That comment seemed to allow her to drift back into a few memories away. Back when her sister was still alive…

_Flashback begins…_

"Now remember, Tomoyo-chan, be careful not to burn yourself when you drop the tempura squid in,"

"Okay Okaa-chan!" chirped the cry, as a five-year-old girl picked up the piece with a pair of chopsticks from a bowl. With her mother, Noriko, holding her, she slowly managed to drop the batter-coated squid piece into the wok of boiling oil. Just then, a seven-year-old girl and her father entered the kitchen.

"So how's things going, Imoto-chan?" asked Maron.

The young girl was then placed down onto the floor. "Mum and I are nearly finished, Maron-neechan! When dinner starts soon!"

"Really? May I?" but she didn't wait for an answer as she took a piece of tempura prawn Tomoyo cooked and chomped it down.

A second later… "Hey! They're not ready for dinner yet!"

Maron calmly swallowed and was still for a few minutes. "Maybe it must have been silly of me to spoil my appetite, but… not bad cooking. Who made these?"

Noriko just managed to place a fried squid piece onto a paper towel. "Tomoyo and I helped make these. But to tell you the truth, Tomo-chan would make a great chef someday,"

"If I worked harder?" squeaked the reply. "Yay!"

"Sounds like Tomo-chan's excited at the thought, isn't she, Maron-chan?" smiled Yukito, the father of the family. "Yeah, I guess so," added Maron. "If you haven't given her a swelled head," And although Tomoyo tried to keep her anger down, unfortunately she couldn't.

"SWELLED HEAD! Why I'll have you know…"

"There, there, Tomoyo," chuckled Noriko as she patted her daughter's head. "Your sister is just helping you to ignore anybody who would bully you. You will understand sooner, correct?"

When dinner was nearly ready, Tomoyo was outside on the balcony of their house along with her sister. "Do you ever have a dream of when you grow up, Onee-chan?" she asked.

"My dream, Imoto-chan? What I want to do is to become the best cook in the world. How about you, Tomoyo-chan?"

Her hyperactive youth showed that she also got the dream of her choice. "I want to cook and play music!" she chirped. "I think it would be good enough for me!"

A smile then appeared on Maron's face as a response. "If that's how you want it, then that's how you get it. But remember one thing, though: Never forget what your dreams are, and don't stop dreaming! Well, except in the classroom, that's a bad time for dreaming, but work hard, and you'll get the jobs of your dreams! Promise me you'll never forget your dreams?"

"Arigatou Maron-neechan! I promise!" And she gave her older sister a huge hug as thanks for her encouragement. That is what she liked about Maron: Even though she teased her at times, she always looked out for her. It seemed almost like that Maron was the closest family member that Tomoyo ever respected, and the five-year-old admired her. Those were the good old days that happened six years ago, and those memories were the ones that were worth keeping. But the memories after that was something young Tomoyo would want to lock away…

_Flashback ends…_

(…Hello? Tomoyo-chan? Are you listening?) Sunstreaker instantly snapped the girl out of her daydream. She then snapped out of her black stare. "Wha? I'm sorry, what happened?"

(We're arriving at Autobot/Maximal HQ just now. What were you thinking about just now?)

Although Tomoyo would like to talk about happy memories, now wasn't a good time. "Oh, it was nothing. Nothing at all," she quickly lied.

And then the human and the Minicon entered headquarters. But there was practically no sign of their fellow teammates in the vicinity of the base. Checking the Control Room, there was… nobody here.

(Strange… you don't think they went off to fight the Decepticons and Predacons without us?)

Tomoyo then peeked in the same room the motorcycle did. "But that's not right! The last time they fought was when Aura first joined us, and the Decepticons and Predacons would have been recovering for the time being,"

A brainstorm then came up to her mainframe. (You thinking what I'm thinking?)

"Oh yeah, the Warp Room," came the reply as that was the room the girl and her Minicon headed off to next. But when they approached it…

"You don't have to throw a temper tantrum at a time like this, you can try to come along…" Wipeout's voice sounded.

And Alexis's tone didn't sound good as the girls heard from the door. "And what? Come along with nothing! Okay, go ahead and have your boys-only adventure. I'll just stay here and watch the Decepticons take over the universe while you guys roast marshmallows. And don't think I'm jealous of you, either. In your dreams!"

Not wanting to enter at a wrong time, Sunstreaker and Tomoyo listened as the conversation went on. "Doesn't sound like Lex-chan's in a good mood today. I wonder what all that is about?"

(Don't ask,) Sunstreaker replied. (Maybe it would be best until Alexis is out of earshot for the time being, and we'll try and ask Optimus what was the fuss about. I don't think I want to intervene just yet,) And just as the warpgate activated itself, the girls saw Alexis angrily go past, with Sureshock following her. It seemed almost like she was so wrapped up in her own anger that she didn't see the both of them.

Optimus then noticed the two arrivals at the door. "Ah, Tomoyo, Sunstreaker – were you listening in just now?"

(We only just arrived. What was that about, and why Alexis's anger explode?) Sunstreaker asked as we entered the Warp Room. "And where were the rest of the guys and the Minicons?" Tomoyo added.

"Red Alert and Smokescreen took them on camping, and unfortunately, Alexis wasn't notified about the details. She wasn't in a good mood after that,"

Tusklaw then asked, "Wait a minute. Were you two notified as well, or didn't you receive the information? Because if you didn't, by the looks of the stuff you're carrying, I can help you catch up with the others,"

The Japanese shook her head. "No, it's all right. Originally I was planning to cook for the others since of the recent victories, but since of the situation, I reckon A-chan's gonna need some company that'll make her feel better! Besides, there no need for me to participate in the outdoors if it's going to rain later in the day!"

A look of concern came onto Optimus's face, despite being hidden by his faceplate. "But I thought it was mainly clear skies all day. What's on your mind, Tomoyo?"

(She means, Optimus, that not all predictions were correct, you know, and on some reports on the newspaper, they said it's gonna rain later on,) replied the Minicon.

"Well she has a point. Speaking of her… where has she gone off too?"

Sunstreaker then saw her running off just as she spun round. (Obviously trying to find Alexis and Sureshock. You sure Alexis will be all right for now, or shall I also go and help?)

"I think it would be advisable for you to go and help her. In the meantime, Sparkplug, you care to help Sunstreaker with some of the stuff she's carrying?"

(Wilco.) replied the gold Minicon. (I believe most of the maintenance stuff needs to go to the Medical Bay, correct?)

Quickly nodding, the motorcycle Minicon then set off to find Tomoyo, Alexis and Sureshock, just to make sure that nothing will go wrong while carrying the perishables at the same time.

_In the control room…_

"Camping. Gimme a break! No hot showers, no electricity... Besides, I heard it's supposed to rain all weekend!" In her mind, Alexis was still fuming over the prospect of being left behind. Although she wished should would have been notified of the camping trip, she didn't seem to care what happens to the boys who seemed to be having fun, after what happened.

"Uhh... You think I should've told them it's gonna rain?" she asked her Minicon partner after she entered the control room.

(It would have been a good idea Alexis,) she replied.

"Hey, they could have checked the forecast too! And I'm not going to spend my whole weekend feeling guilty about it, either. I've got better things to do, and I bet Tomoyo would be with them as well…" That is, until a finger poked at the back of the brunette's head. "Why being such a Gloomy Gus if you're going to be the only girl staying here?"

And when Alexis whirled around, she saw… "Tomoyo? What were you doing here? I thought you would be happy being with the rest of the boys at camp,"

"And risk being peeped at and leaving the only girl behind? I've only just heard the news,"

"Well I'm glad that you're here. Where's Sunstreaker?"

The answer came as the Minicon came skidding in, almost crashing into Sureshock and nearly spilling whatever contents she was carrying. (I was in a hurry to find you three, and I wished you had helped! So how are you feeling, Alexis?)

"I'm feeling slightly better, since you two are here," Then she noticed the shopping bags the gold and white Minicon was carrying. "What's with the baggage?"

(Tomoyo was originally planning to whip up a feast for all of us until we just found out about the camping trip. So basically, we've not quite sure about what to do with the rest of the food that's definitely going into the fridge.)

"So, basically, we've even in a way – there's no need to come on a camp especially with all the good food that's needs to be cooked when brought straight from a gourmet market at the mall," piped in Tomoyo, as the girls then headed towards the kitchen area of the base, and placed the contents in the fridge.

At the least the situation lightened up Alexis's mood at bit more, since Tomoyo and Sunstreaker arrived. "Pity they are going to regret trying out your cooking, especially since you did quite well in Food and Health Studies Class. Well, except Fred, since he had some of your sushi!" she then chuckled at that thought.

(It'll be a disappointment for us to try your Tomoyo's cooking, but how about doing that at your place, and for Tomoyo and Sunstreaker to stay for a sleepover? How does that sound?) Asked Sureshock.

"Sounds like fun then, if I was a human," came a voice suddenly, causing the girls to jump slightly. It was then that they saw Aura at the door. But she looked a bit tired and battered at the moment.

"Hey Aura, how are you? But what's with the battered parts?" Tomoyo asked. "Scavenger, I presume?"

Aura winched in pain slightly. "Ouch. I could have sworn he and BlackArachnia met before. I'm impressed that he even took out both Hotshot and I at one point. No offence to my former mistress, I swear he's even worse than BlackArachnia! Because of him, I foolishly got my right arm winded,"

(So where's Hotshot?) Asked Sureshock with concern.

"Taken over the CR Chamber. Only one is functional so far, and a few others have yet to become online. So since Red Alert is with Smokescreen and the boys, Tusklaw has already started work on other chambers. I hope it won't take too long to set them up, even my bruises have their own bruises on them!"

Windchaser only just entered the room. (Even if you're winded just slightly, Aura, Red Alert and Tusklaw managed to teach you the basic stuff on mechanics. So it'll be a lot faster if two more hands help on getting the job done.)

A determined look came onto the Transmetal Phoenix's face. "I'll make it to activating another CR Chamber, I hope, if Hotshot hasn't finished his repairs yet," Before she left, Aura turned to the girls. "I hope you'll have fun despite the boys and their camping adventure. But still, it's best to be careful, okay? See you later!" And she and her partner departed, Alexis then said to Sureshock, "Not a bad idea, and I might thank Aura for that too. But I guess I have to ring my parents first, just in case,"

"I guess I have to retrieve some of my clothes and toiletries first of all. And by the looks of things, Aura sure has shown a bit of confidence since joining us, has she?" That was Tomoyo asking that question, as she, Alexis, and their Minicon partners helped carry the shopping as the preparation to their own 'feast'. At least Alexis was no longer angry about being left behind now that Tomoyo decided to show up. Still, you may never know what turn of events would happen next.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"It is time to commence our Decepticon one-on-one combat training exercise. Please pay close attention and I shall demonstrate the power of the Star Sabre! Who's my first victim?"

_Good!_ Growled Shatterbelt, in impatience. It's been only a few days now since the Decepticons recently suffered their defeat at the hands of Aura. Since then, Shatterbelt was more obsessed than ever to beat the Autobots and Maximals in order to accomplish his goal, including Wipeout.

"C-c-c-can't we just stand here and watch, sir?" asked Demolishor nervously, which forced Shatterbelt to smack his head.

"There goes a saying, 'No pain, No gain'. If we want to defeat Floptimus Prime and co, I suggest doing the hard stuff first – even if that spineless Tarantulas is sitting in his cavern full of chemical warfare!"

Megatron grinned at the driller's comment. "Very good, Shatterbelt! There is no entity in the cosmos powerful enough to stand up to my ultimate weapon! Which makes me -- master of the universe!"

Most of the Decepticons and Waspinator moved out of the way, but Shatterbelt intended on standing ground. If he could best Megatron, in his mainframe, he could beat Wipeout into cosmic rust. So, dodging the slash, he then unleashed a volley of ten punches at his sworn leader.

"Impressive… but not good enough!" And this time, Shatterbelt was sent skidding on the floor. "I suggest blocking moves if you were to be master of the universe, Lord Megatron! If not…" the driller yelled, charging at him. "…You'll never know what would hit you next!"

The Decepticon leader already prepared himself as slashed one of Shatterbelt's triple-barrelled mortar cannons. "Well you seemed to be full of it, soldier. Try this on for size!" This time, to his shock, during when he fired my remaining cannon, Megatron unleashed the same ten-hit combo, causing the mole tank to fly through a wall of the ship. But it was not only pain Shatterbelt felt – it was the rage and will to fight on – if he really was to defeat Wipeout, no mercy must be shown!

"I'm through to the teeth with that sorry excuse for an Autobot! If Wipeout could continue training to the extreme, I'm more than willing to take the same punishment!"

That is, until Sideways blurted out his comment. "Heh. This is such a waste of my time," Big Mistake.

And that is when he saw Megatron standing above him. "You were saying, Sideways?"

"Uh... I hate those Autobot slime!" And this time, a chase around the moon has begun.

_How foolish. I can't believe that motormouth disrupted my only chance to continue training. Oh well. At least Megatron is doing fine, whipping him into shape and all._ Despite his disappointment, Shatterbelt was glad he obtained some of his training, which would have been slightly good enough for next time. Now all he has to do was to head of towards the nearest repair chamber before the rest of the Decepticons and Predacons would try to get repaired first, for the next battle to come.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

They weren't exactly at the beach, but at least Jazz was having fun in the great outdoors without being spotted by any unwanted attention, while he and his friend were camping near the dam. A few minutes before, the youngest member of the Future Stunt Minicon Team was disappointed because Sunstreaker had either arrived late, or she didn't decide to show up. But with Billy's convincing, he was able to enjoy himself, and this time, before he departed, he obtained Trailbreaker's prototype holo-projector. And now, Jazz already disguised himself as an Afro-American teenager dressed in street clothing and carrying a boom box. Except he wasn't the only one to be having fun.

"Yahhh!" yelled Carlos, as he then leaped with excitement into the river where Billy and Fred were, while Rad was fishing in another part of the river.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha. Sure is fun seeing the kids and even Jazz having some fun for once!" laughed Smokescreen, as he and Red Alert was standing along the river's edge in vehicle mode.

"Its like Optimus said, everyone needs a little R&R every so often," added Red Alert in agreement.

"Huh?"

"Well, Smokescreen, after days and months of endless combat, sometimes we can all lose sight of what we're battling for in the first place,"

"So... what you're saying is, everyone needs a little downtime to clear their mainframes, right?" asked the crane.

"Exactly. You sure catch on fast for a warrior-bot," came the reply, and Smokescreen laughed. As he did, Billy then pointed out, "Hey Jazz, aren't you singing 'Without Me' by Eminem?"

The Minicon was busily listening to the song with enjoyment, and so in a way, Billy got his reply.

_Guess who's back, back, back  
back again, gain gain  
Shady's back back back  
tell a friend  
Guess who's back, guess who's back,  
guess who's back, guess who's back,  
guess who's back, guess who's back,  
guess who's back... la la la_

"Err, Billy," asked Fred. "Doesn't Jazz know it's dangerous to dance in the open like this?"

"Zip it, you numbskull! He's using Trailbreaker's holo-projector! Besides, there's no need to worry about that!"

(At a time like fighting the Decepticons, this isn't necessary, Jazz.) Came REV's response as he was sitting in Smokescreen's cab. (But with that mood of yours, little brother, I prefer that over your darker mood.)

(Hey, I'm just glad I came to this planet, I was getting cooped with the war that has been going on Planet Cybertron!)

(Good point. Besides, check out Carlos now!) Pointed out Grindor, as the Minicons watched the boy being winched by the swimming trunks and then tossed back in while Billy and Fred were laughing, courtesy of Longarm.

Cringing, High Wire then replied, (Not much a sport I'd want to get involved in, but hey, at least there's a lot of fun involved as a team.)

Liftor sighed as he watched the scene unfold as he sat with REV inside his partner. (It's good that this is a good chance for a peaceful holiday… but there at times I wish the war would be over soon.)

"Hey, don't worry, buddy," smiled Smokescreen. "At least we have some time to ourselves for now. I'm gonna see what Rad's doing,"

It was then that Jazz figured out later from Smokescreen that Rad was doing a sport known as fishing, which must have involved aquamarine life and that fish can be cooked for dinner. To the Minicon, it must have been worth it to catch good food like that, if you're a human of course. _Then again, I know that Sunstreaker, like Grindor, is more than willing to try a new thing or two, so maybe food would be on her list. He thought, maybe I could get her a book on cookery or something, if it would be worth it._ But there was still more fun to go, as a little kid named Sean decided to join in. Now all that matters was that the secret of the Autobots must still be intact.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Well, here we are, Alexis. This is the unit I live in," Tomoyo said to Alexis, as the two girls, minus Sunstreaker and Sureshock, entered the room in the apartment her grandfather runs. The living room interior wasn't messy as Alexis expected, considering the young Japanese lived alone, save for her grandfather. It was quite tidy, in a sort of sense. In the middle of the room, a kotetsu was there. On the left side, a TV, and some speakers were there. On the right side, there was also the computer and a study desk, along with the entrance to the bathroom, kitchen and bedroom areas.

"You sure Sunstreaker and Sureshock will be able to handle the weight of the shopping?" asked Alexis as she stepped inside, taking off her shoes in the process.

"Of course. Now all I have to do is to pack up some stuff for the sleepover,"

Once she said that, Tomoyo obtained a backpack and started packing for the night. Looking around, Alexis then wondered how a girl aged twelve years old would be able to look after herself. Then again, she does have her grandfather and Sunstreaker to look after her, she thought as she then contacted her parents about the sleepover. While her friend was preparing for her stay overnight, Alexis then noticed a picture frame near on a nearby drawer. When she had a look, she saw that it was a picture of what looked liked an older version of Tomoyo. "That's a nice picture of you,"

The Japanese girl turned her head to the brunette's direction. "That? Oh no, that's not me in it. That would be my older sister, Maron,"

"I see. What was she like to you?"

"A girl I see as more than a dear sibling. More than that, she was also one I respected and loved like I loved my parents, that's all," A zipping sound then sounded. "Well then, I'm done. Shall we be off now?"

"We shall. We wouldn't want to keep my parents waiting after all, though," And as they headed down to the floor level and walked past the reception, Tomoyo's grandfather, Fujitaka, then waved a greeting. "All set to go, you two?"

"Yep!" responded the two, as the old man then said, "You be careful out there, will you? A storm's coming up and I don't want you two to get hurt,"

"Don't worry, Ojii-chan! We'll make it out okay. See you later!" called out Tomoyo, as the girls then departed the apartment building, and drove along the road. Although it would seem clear just now, in the distance, the storm clouds begin to form behind the High Desert valley. Alexis and Sureshock were driving in the lead, but seeing the clouds, Tomoyo seemed almost lost in thoughts again.

_Two minutes later…_

As the skies darkened, which was when the sound of thunder interrupted Tomoyo's thoughts. "Hey Alexis? How many more minutes do we have until we get to your house?"

"Not long now. We'll get there before the rain starts. Wouldn't my parents be surprised when you show them your talent?"

And as on cue, they arrived at the Richards residence, which is Alexis's home. It doesn't look too bad in Tomoyo's point of view, but it was good to meet her friend's family.

"What an inviting place. I can't wait to meet your family once we've inside!"

Alexis immediately got off Sureshock upon arrival. "My parents usually enjoy the company of guests, and my little brother Leon was always the type of guy to make life fun as possible. He's a bit a hyperactive and playful one, and I guess it was nice that I'm not the only child. If I was, I don't think I would have become work-orientated and studious now!" She laughed slightly. But that was when she noticed Tomoyo's sad look. "What's the matter?"

Snapping out of her thoughts again, she quickly replied, "Nothing really. Just daydreaming," But it wasn't actually nothing that Alexis sensed in her friend, but no more thoughts were made as suddenly a eight-year boy tackled her to the ground, coming through the opening door.

"Welcome back big sis! It's good to see you home!" The boy seemed to have bright blue eyes as a sign of hyperactive energy, other than his ruffled hair, in a similar shade of brown to his sister. By his height, his head reached past his sister's waist, and he was wearing a whitish-grey Dragon Ball Z shirt and blue shorts.

Slightly shocked, Alexis then struggled to stand up. "This one is my little brother," as she then turned to the boy who was pleased to see her. "Okay Leon, would you get off now? We have a guest,"

"So how do you do? My name's Tomoyo, and I'm pleased to meet you," she smiled, as she shook the boy's hand. After he said his greetings, which was when he ran off to announce that the guest has arrived to his parents. As they entered, Alexis' parents, who just heard the noise, warmly greeted them. First of all, her father Ray appeared and led them inside, after the use of introductions and all.

"It gives a great pleasure to meet you, Tomoyo. Welcome to Richards' residence!"

Politely bowing, the Japanese then replied, "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Richards," but the mother has yet to be seen. The sound of chopping then turned her attention to the kitchen area, where Leanne, the matriarch of the family, already started to prepare dinner. "I'll help set up dinner then! Please, sit down!" Unless she would have watched her hands a bit…

"Hey, Mrs. Richards, be careful on how you chop…" but unfortunately, Tomoyo's warning came too late, and Leanne sustained a cut on her hand. "Are you alright?" asked Tomoyo as she quickly came to her aid.

Leon already scrambled to get the first aid kit. "Mommy's like that sometimes when it comes to comes to guests. But don't worry, dinner will come!" the boy said, as he and his sister helped bandage up their mother's hand. Tomoyo then looked over at the load she brought in, and then turned to the parents. "You don't mind if I'll be of assistance in the kitchen will you?"

"Sure, we wouldn't mind," replied Leanne. "Why is that?"

"I could cook up something… but it might be nothing special…"

_An hour and a half later at 6:30 pm…_

"Wow!" exclaimed Leon.

"'Nothing Special' doesn't even come close, Tomoyo!" added Alexis, who was impressed by the set-up. "What are you, one of the Iron Chefs or something?" By the look of the food Tomoyo cooked up, along with even Mr and Mrs Richards' help, which would have to be the dinner the boys at camp would be missing out on. There was not only the use of the typical miso soup, shrimp and vegetable tempura, fried chicken, and some tuna sushi and onigiri, but there was also a range of other dishes that wasn't typical, ones that would have been on the Japanese show Iron Chef.

"…Dynamic Cheese Hotpot, Isobe-styled grilled turkey, Kimchi Udon, Fried Sesame Seed & Natto Biscuit, and last but not least, Green Tea Ice-cream," listed Tomoyo, as she washed her hands and sat down. "That is all, though I have to empty out the shopping space,"

Looking over at the spread, Leanne was more than just impressed. "I'm sorry I let a guest cook for me, but yes, what a spread! You certainly seem to have talent!" she said, as the whole family, including Tomoyo, started eating, but not until after Alexis took a snapshot of the spread.

Already, you could tell that Ray was impressed. "For a girl as young as twelve years old… you must be a talented young chef. Where did you learn all these skills?"

Tomoyo sipped a bit of miso soup before answering. "My parents owned a restaurant, but my mother came from a long line of chefs while my father was a musician. I guess since I enjoyed both of them I have a combined goal of what I what I want to do in the future. At least maybe two occupations would be better than one, or something like that!" She giggled slightly.

"You can try some of our dinner sometime when you come over next time, and it looks like you have your goals planned out. You must really want to try twice as hard, so don't push yourself, okay?"

"You really used career planning well, I see," added Leanne, as suddenly there was a choking noise. Leon was choking because he ate too fast at the table.

"What did I tell you about eating too fast at the table?" sighed Alexis, as she gave Leon a drink of water to help aid the digestion.

"I can't help it!" coughed the reply. "This is the best food I have eaten yet!" and both the parents laughed. As soon as they were done with dinner, the girls then helped out with the dishes, and later on, Alexis and Tomoyo hung out at Alexis' bedroom. All at once the rumble of thunder began, and the heavens opened up, unleashing a furious downpour. When Alexis looked out the window after she got herself changed, she frowned slightly.

"Look at that. It's pouring,"

"Typical of the weather and all, A-chan," added Tomoyo, as she stretched out on the floor, after she changed herself in a set of aqua and yellow pyjamas. "Glad we decided not to come on the trip, considering the boys were out there. But even though rainy days are typically gloomy, at least we had some fun so far. So what do you think of the dinner?"

The brunette then turned her head away from the window. "It was good, Tomoyo. I like it. At least Mum, Dad, and little Leon enjoyed the dinner. Maybe we'll let you have a try of our cooking. How about you?"

"I'm happy that I could show my talents to people in another country other than Japan. Not only that, your family's nice company too, besides the boys and the Transformers," Other than that, it also reminded her of her family back home. It was nice to have good thought, but though it served later in homesickness, the Japanese didn't show any signs. However, now wasn't the time to tell her memory of the past. Not just yet, anyway. But the weather outside, it did remind her of something back then…

She then thought for a little bit after that. "Since it's raining, what time's 'Rurouni Kenshin' on at?"

"Seven on the dot," replied Alexis while checking the TV guide. "Right on schedule,"

"Hour of the dog in Japan's Meiji Era!" piped up the Japanese, as she switched on the TV, and the Opening theme was playing on. "But it's been fourteen years since the first screening my home country in 1996. Was it popular in North America or something?"

"It was. But with the collection of manga I got, if only there was enough money for the Revenge Arc episodes. Still, I love that series!"

It was only fifteen minutes later until a news bulletin came up. And that was when the girls saw a scene that was connected to the weather outside. Although Tomoyo wondered what was going on, she quickly kept her mouth shut at the news report that was going on, as the reporter then spoke out the update.

"According to the weather office, there are new flash flood warnings. Heavy rain will continue overnight and officials here at Steveston Dam predict the water to exceed flood level by morning. If that's the case, the lower gates will be open to relieve pressure on the dam. It will cause severe flooding on the river below the dam. Kelly Bongartner, Channel 4 Eye Witness Weather,"

Alexis suddenly sat bolt upright on the bed. "Huh? That's where the guys are!"

(No kidding.) Piped in a voice, causing the girls to jump again since of Aura. Locking the door behind them, Sunstreaker and Sureshock appeared in the bedroom after they entered through the upstairs window.

"How did you manage to sneak in? I thought you would be safe in the garage, and any of my family would hear you!"

The gold Minicon then pulled out a little device with a mischievous smirk. (Trailbreaker's Stealth Optimiser. Works every time for sound muffling and stealth shielding!)

(Honestly, Sunstreaker.) sighed Sureshock. (Trailbreaker's going to flip if he finds out another of his inventions were nicked. But there's no time for talking now. When's the river going to get flooded at?)

"Tomorrow morning, that's what. And to think that I said that wasn't to feel guilty about it! Maybe I should have warned them!"

Tomoyo nodded in agreement. "And the aftermath would be bad. And I don't think I wanted to feel that way again," Instantly Alexis then snapped to attention. "What do you mean, Tomoyo?"

She then turned to the rest of the girls with a grim look in her eyes. "You know how I mentioned to you about my sister? Mind if I told you what happened to her now?"

(We don't mind. And besides, we'll be more than willing to help you just in case.) And Sunstreaker then sat down on the floor. She didn't say anything, but just nodded as a signal to begin her partner's tale.

"It began back then in Yokohama when I was born. When I was born my parents Yukito and Noriko both had different occupations. As I mentioned at dinner before, my father was a famous musician while my mother was a talented chef. Being raised there, I enjoyed having to watched them unleased their magic around the house, and soon I decided to make up my mind about achieving both goals. My parents thought it was difficult, but Maron-neechan told me to focus hard and never give up.

Unfortunately, that was stopped temporarily because when I was nine, I came down with a terrible fever, and I was usually in bed most of the time. That fever was quite harsh on me, and almost day and night, my parents became worried about me. Unfortunately, they so worried that Maron herself was ignored. I guess she became bitter over the days, but at the same time, she wanted to help me too. When that happened, Maron would usually bring be back presents, and that she cheered my up most of the time. Though she obtained them without permission, my parents were glad my sister could be of some help, and I almost seemed to love her even more than my parents. However, she had a secret.

It turned out, to my shock that my sister was adopted. She wasn't related by blood, and she was adopted for a reason. Shortly after my parents were married in 1996, my mother suffered a miscarriage as a result of a car accident. If that unborn child were I, I would have died. That was when my parents adopted another baby girl in which that was Maron. The reason why they neglected her during my sickness was that one of her deceased parents, her father, was nearly about to murder my mother in her mid-teens. After the adoption, two years later in 1998, I was born. On one night, a month after I got sick, she overheard her parents debating whether to tell Maron her truth, and that was when she decided to tell me the truth.

But even though I should be sad, I forgave my sister for her jealousy. In return, I told her that even if she was adopted, I still respected her as my neechan, and to prove that; I gave her my jade pendant I wore. She was happy that I did not give out my negative feelings to her, and that, I was happy.

Time passed, and eventually I recovered. However, a year later in 2009, which was when something terrible, struck. The strongest tsunami yet hit Yokohama, when we were just about to move house into Tokyo. My house was caught in the storm, and I was nearly about to drown, when my sister then risked her life to save me. But, while she saved me, she lost all of her strength. Before she was swept away, she told me to never give up my dreams, and that I must never let myself become sad, even in the harsh times. And then… she was gone," Already, tears were overwhelming her eyes, and she already broke out crying.

Hearing that, Alexis looked like she was about to cry. "That… that was so sad!" she sobbed as Sunstreaker then asked with concern, "But what happened after that?"

Tomoyo stopped crying for a moment. "Maron-neechan placed her earrings in my hands before she drowned, in which I always wear now as a reminder. After she drowned, I was reunited with my parents, but… I became so traumatised afterwards…"

(Now you're nearly about to make me cry!) Trembled Sureshock, and if it weren't for the Stealth Optimiser, Alexis's family would have burst in by now. (That must have been terrible for you. What happened then?)

"… I lost three-quarters of my ability to speak my own language. Though I could speak English fairly well, it was my home language I lost mostly. I could say some of it, and maybe sing at times, but that dealt a huge blow to me. It was… almost like I killed my sister. After the typhoon, my parents realised the error of their ways, and took me to nearly every speech psychologist around Japan. Sadly, there was no luck. I must have loved Maron-neechan very much, and I missed her. Especially after her body was found, and a funeral happened.

When my uncle told me that there was a special expert on psychology and Japanese in America, Kaname Makimachi, there was still hope. She was famous for treating many patients with psychological problems like that, and if she cured many of them, then maybe she I could also be cured too. Since my grandpa lived in America, I was then sent to America. Where I met you, Carlos, Rad, Billy, Fred, Sureshock, and most of all, Sunstreaker and Wipeout. And let's not forget about High Wire, Grindor, REV, Jazz, and many of the Autobots and Maximals. And that is how… I'm here," Now that she finished her story, she then hung her head down.

Alexis then placed a comforting hand on her friends shoulder. "Tomoyo-chan. You may have lost your sister back then, and I know my family reminds you of home at times, but you still have us, as your friends, along with your family,"

(What happened to your old somewhat positive self from before, Tomoyo?) Added Sunstreaker. (When you showed me how that girl from the manga, 'Fruits Basket' dealt with both of her parent's deaths, be positive! What happened to the girl I saw cheering Wipeout up? Obviously, he would have wanted to see you stay strong!)

Sureshock then added her final statement. (I'm normally independent at times. But change tears into courage, and if your sister would still be alive today, she would want you to achieve your goals without sadness. When the time comes, she would be proud that her sibling has succeeded in the times of harshness,)

Looking at them all, Tomoyo then realised something. No matter if her sister was no longer in her family, she still has two things she has never lost: her family, and her friends… and they will always be with her. "Th-thank you so much. I will regain the language I lost, and be over my grief. I'm so glad I came to Lincoln, you showed me all that friends and family are all that counts," Her smile then returned as she wiped the last of her tears away. The rest of the girls were glad to see their friend in good spirits again. Now that was done, they then proceeded in watching the rest of the show.

One hour and a half later, that was when Mrs Richards called. "Time for bed girls!"

"Okay!" came the reply as both Alexis and Tomoyo then proceeded to brushing their teeth. During that, both Sureshock and Sunstreaker told them that they were going to recharge at the garage, just to make sure they weren't arousing any suspicion from the rest of the family. When that was done, the girls were then about to get some sleep. Just after she finished listening to the track 'Chase' from Zoids Chaotic Century, she then asked Alexis something as she lay down in the rollaway bed Alexis' parents set up. "Hey Alexis, do you think the boys will be alright by the morning?"

"They may have Red Alert and Smokescreen with them, but they could do with some help. But for now – let's get some shut-eye. I'm glad that you decided to stay behind," came the reply.

Taking off her headphones, Tomoyo smiled again. "You're almost like a sister to me, A-chan. But for now, all we have to worry about is sleep first. I just hope the boys will be safe,"

"To tell you the truth, me too. Well, good night Tomoyo," and the brunette then flicked the switch off, and the lights went out. Automatically, since Tomoyo was slightly tired after the talk, she then fell asleep. She was happy that without Alexis, the boys and the Transformers, she would be at loss with herself, and her own emotions.

Outside, the thunder rumbled and the rain poured, and Alexis lay deep in thought. _If Maron had been in Tomoyo's situation, the result would have been the same. I feel sorry for Tomoyo for the loss of her sister. But hopefully, she'll get stronger time and time again. I could only just hope. And the boys… please come back safe. If not… oh I don't think I would want to know._ Then, her eyes then closed… and she drifted off to a dreamless sleep. And now, the time for a rescue will come the next day.

_To be continued…_

_Tobikomu no sa SONO ki ni nareba ii  
Atosaki mite mo shou ga nai  
Michi no nai michi o susundeku tte no mo ARI sa  
Hi no ataranai heya no katasumi de yubi o kuwaenagara  
Kinou mita you na ashita o matsu no wa yameyou_

_Kurushimagire no mousou wa sono te de nigiritsubusha ii_

_sora ni egakitai yume ga aru no nara  
mirai wa kitto sonna ni kurakanai darou?  
jiyuu ni nareru hazu sa mayoi yo TOKIMEKI ni nare...  
just keep on dreaming!_

_kurikaesu koto mo yurusanu Age  
kiriake ashita ni tsunagu Stage_

_kazemuki ni se o mukerarete mo "hyaku mo shouchi" tte kao shite  
shitauchi shinagara mata hitotsu mae ni susumou_

_kokoro mo yurenai sekai nante mushi shite toorisugirya ii_

_mune ni shinjitai MONO ga aru no nara  
mirai wa kitto sonna ni karakanai darou?  
yuuki ni kawaru hazu sa namida yo KIRAMEKI ni nare...  
just keep on dreaming!_

_tsuzuiteku michi wa kodoku na Race  
kujikenagara mo kasoku suru Pace  
"BUCHI atatta kabe o kowashitai..."  
soko kara umareta omoi wa "CHASE"  
fuuzen no hi ni arubeki ketsui koso ga seiten no hekireki  
nete mo samete mo akusen kutou tte koto nara yasumazu AKUSEKU shiyou!_

_egaiteru yume ga aru no nara  
mirai wa kitto sonna ni tookanai darou?  
jiyuu ni yarery hazu sa kotae o sagashi ni ikou..._

_shinjiteru MONO ga aru no nara  
mirai wa kitto sonna ni kowakanai darou?  
tsuyoku tokihanatsu no sa  
negai yo kagayaki ni nare... negai yo kagayaki ni nare...  
just keep on dreaming!_

Final Genesis: Another chapter completed! Sorry for the lateness, Year 12 is never easy, and at times, I felt it seemed more important than fanfiction at times. Once again, you may have noticed that I have used Japanese terms once again, and some of them included food terms and even dishes from the 'Iron Chef', a popular Japanese culinary program. Here they are:

**Okaa-chan** – a term used for describing your own mother.

**-Neechan, or oneechan** – another term for your big sister, also for sister figures.

**Imoto-chan** – for little sister. –chan is also used as for older siblings, not just for little brothers and sisters.

**Ojii-chan** – a term for your grandfather, gramps, etc.

**Dynamic Cheese Hotpot** – A hotpot that involves Taraba crabs and clams cooked in a steaming pot of katsuo dashi (bonito stock), white miso, and cheese, though cheese is not used much in Japanese cooking. One of the Iron Chef dishes, I heard that miso and cheese go well since they were both fermented products, though I haven't seen the Cheese battle.

**Isobe-styled grilled turkey** – Grilled turkey slices flavoured with herbs, then wrapped with nori sheets. Turkey isn't a typical Japanese ingredient either. Created by Iron Chef Rokusaburo Michiba in the Turkey battle.

**Fried Sesame Seed and Natto Biscuit** – A desert item, another creation by Michiba, this time in the Natto battle.

**Tempura** – vegetables or seafood coated in a light batter, then fried.

**Onigiri** – a riceball, usually eaten for lunches, like a sort of sandwich equivalent.

**Kimchi Udon** - thick noodle soup with sliced pork and Korean preserved cabbage. Probably not exactly Japanese though, but I thought I'd add it to the terms.

**Miso Soup** - soybean soup with scallions, tofu and seaweed.

**Natto** – Steamed, fermented mashed soybeans.

**Isobe (Isobe-style food)** - Dishes using Asakusa nori (dried seaweed).

Oh yes, and one more thing. This is the English translation of the original second ending theme to Zoids Chaotic Century, known as 'Chase'. Don't know the singers, but it was good!

_You'll jump in, if you feel like that, it's fine  
It can't be helped even if you saw the consequences  
Advancing on a pathless road is a way to go  
While sucking on your fingers in the corner of a room where the sun doesn't shine  
Let's stop waiting for a tomorrow like the one you saw yesterday_

_You should crush the delusions of desperation with your hands_

_If you have a dream that you want to sketch in the sky  
The future surely won't be so dark, right?  
You should be able to become free, hesitation will turn into heartbeats  
Just keep on dreaming!_

_An Age that isn't allowed to repeat  
A Stage that opens up and connects to tomorrow_

_Even if you can turn your back to the wind, bear a face that "consents to all"  
While clucking your tongue, let's advance forward once again_

_You should ignore the world that can't shake your heart and go past it_

_If you have something that you want to believe in your chest  
The future surely won't be so tough, right?  
It should be able to turn into courage; tears will turn into sparkles...  
Just keep on dreaming!_

_Continuing on, the road is a lonely Race  
While getting discouraged, you'll accelerate your Pace  
"I want to destroy the wall that I collided into..."  
The thought that is born from there is "CHASE"  
The determination that must be there in a lamp in front of the wind is indeed a thunderclap in the clear skies  
Even if you sleep, even if you're awake, when it comes to tough battles, let's be busy without resting!_

_If you have a dream that you're sketching  
The future surely won't be so far away, right?  
You should be able to do it freely, let's go search for the answer..._

_If you have something that you're believing in  
The future surely won't be so scary, right?  
You'll liberate it powerfully  
Wishes will turn into brilliances... Wishes will turn into brilliances...  
Just keep on dreaming!_

I'm probably not good at social scenes like sleepovers and all, and originally I wanted to make that a multiple POV (Point of View) chapter. But since of my previous experiences, I decided to change that instead. As part of the chapter title mentions, it tells about Tomoyo's goals and past.

Well, that would be about it now.

Jya ne!

Final Genesis.

P.S: Read and review!


	8. Riverside Rescue

Final Genesis: Another slightly late update, I apologize. It's just that I'm still busy with Year 12 and all, and it isn't exactly a cakewalk. So far, at least it's going okay, but who knows what would happen next. However, once again, thank you for all those that have reviewed!

**Chiomon: **Thank you very much for your review, and yes; hopefully, Tomoyo would be freed from the demons of her past!

**Mattman65: **If I could, I could include Depth Charge, but in a different form. Probably not what you're expecting, but I've already come up with him for a design, this time as a Minicon. But you have to find out whether this little guy is either in a group or a partner!

**Flamestrike: **So far, thank you for your help! As you wish, I added a new scene!

**Seiberwing: **There are times I wish I had read a few more books and all. If you continue reading, Tomoyo isn't a Mary Sue unlike the other fics I've seen so far.

**Shadow of the Phantom (formerly Deceptigirl): **You wanted to know, here's your answer!

**Master Solo: **Hope you also do well in updating 'Code of the Survivor'! Thank you for your review!

And now, the disclaimer!

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The only characters I own are the ones that I made. Once again, this chapter is set in the episode, 'Vacation'. Expect a change of some of the lines.

Here's the chapter:

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 8: Riverside Rescue **

There was only a little light shining through Smokescreen's windscreen, but for some reason, REV was already wide-awake. It was vacation time for him, his Minicon comrades, the humans, Red Alert and the crane; however, he couldn't seem to get himself to recharge at a time like now. It was only nearly 6:05am, and he was worried. That's how anybody could describe him: Serious-minded, and cautious at times. At least he had a bit fun yesterday, but now, he had look of concern that knew something bad would happen next.

He thought about it for a while. Compared to a battle against the Decepticons and Predacons, though it wasn't associated to a war, nature was still a threat to many humans, and he knew better than to mess with nature. Most of his studies came from the history archives, but though it has only been a few weeks since his awakening on Earth, he read a lot of books and watched a few TV articles about the weather. Sure, Jazz told him that being optimistic was good, but now was a good time for the Minicon to be worried. But still, just sitting there wouldn't get him anywhere.

He was still thinking when suddenly he felt a hand clap on his shoulder. (Can't sleep REV buddy?) Came Jazz in a worried tone.

The Future Stunt Minicon warrior turned his head around in his direction. (Let me ask you something. What is water like to you?)

(A source of life for humans. Kinda a strange element cause from what I heard, since considering that it feels soft when you step in, but hard as concrete when you fall from a great height so diving would be needed. What are you trying to say? That a flood's gonna happen?)

(Correct. While you and the others were dozing, I just intercepted a flash flood warning that's going to start at about 7:50 am. In just about 1 hour and 21 minutes, the floodgates will open soon.)

(So what are we gonna do?) Asked the jet-powered hovercycle.

A grim look of preparation spread on his face. (Contact Red Alert and his crew, ASAP. We now have about 1 hour and 20 minutes to high-tail outta here or we're going to be turned into the biggest distributors of heavy metals on this river, and I don't mean rock music.)

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"Awww man, we're going home?" whined Carlos after he heard the news. It has only been a day since yesterday's arrival at the river, but with the change of the weather and REV's warning, most of the crew knew at this time of weather, the river would probably become its most treacherous. With not much time to waste, it would show a good reason why the crew must evacuate quickly.

"Correct," replied Red Alert with concern. "It's far too dangerous to stay put down here."

"C'mon, let's stay put and ride it out!" protested Billy, who was holding an inflatable raft, along with Fred, who added, "Or we could raft down the rapids,"

No emotion was shown much on Longarm's face, but he next reply showed that he knew better. (It's not advisable to mess with nature at a time like this. And to humans, you never know how aggressive Mother Nature feels right now.)

Red Alert knew that all this talk isn't getting anywhere now. "Let's stop the chit-chat and pack, stat," But just then, a familiar voice called out from the other side of the riverbank.

"Hey guys!"

Rad heard the source of the voice and knew that now wasn't a good time for someone to come out in weather like this. "Carlos, take a look over there!" and there was Sean, who obviously wanted to see the other boys and the Transformers, chanting near the riverbank. Impatient at the moment, the Hispania boy knew there was no time to lose, but at the same time, their new friend must not get involved in any danger since coming all the way out there to see them. With that, he and Red Alert, along with Grindor, (who was also in the medic's cab) then drove over to meet the boy.

"Hey kid, what are you doing out here? And where are your parents at?"

A youthful smile then spread on the little boy's face. "I came to say goodbye to ya!"

Over the other side of the river, Jazz sighed with irritation. (I don't know what's with the kid showing up, but now would be a good time to shift into high gear.) That is, until he then sensed something from Carlos's side of the river. (What that sound?)

"Get out of here now! Incoming mudslide!" yelled Rad, but his warning came too late. A huge layer of mud and water was thundering down the slope at top speed, and though the two boys managed to get inside Red Alert, it was too late to escape the wave.

Helplessly, the rest of the boys, their Minicons and Smokescreen watched in horror as the thick layer quickly buried their friends, and now, they were in a even worse situation to come.

(Oh, this is bad!) Wailed Liftor as he watched the scene unfold. (What should we do now?)

"What's going on?" shouted a cry as Aura suddenly made her entrance in phoenix mode. "Not that I was late or anything, but what happened?"

(Red Alert, Grindor, Carlos, and a human kid were currently buried in a mudslide, and we need options now!) Came the response.

(Rescue Protocol then!) Responded High Wire as he then turned to Rad. (Contact Optimus via Laserbeak on the double!)

"Gotcha!" replied the latter, as he tried to get through. _Optimus, please respond, and quickly! Help would be much needed right now… _

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_Autobot/Maximal HQ…_

At the same time this morning, both Alexis and Tomoyo made a good time to sneak out of the house with their Minicons, and for a good reason too. After they rested okay, they both made up their minds to head to the Autobot/Maximal HQ to find out if there was any response from the boys yet, leaving a note for Mr and Mrs Richards stating that they are going out for a walk. The good news was that the base was open at this time of morning, as Optimus Prime greeted them. The bad news, not surprisingly, there was no response from the other group yet.

"Sorry Alexis, Tomoyo, but they're not back yet," came the commander's reply.

"I'm really worried about them, Optimus. They're camping just below the dam," Although earlier on she mentioned that she wasn't going to feel guilty about it, sorrow now crossed her face. Tomoyo placed a hand her friend's shoulder. "You did mention Red Alert and Smokescreen being with them last night, remember? If all else fails, we'll be able to help them just in case,"

"YAWN! What's going on here?" yawned a sleepy voice, as Tusklaw then stretched his limbs the same time as he made his entrance in robot mode. Since he was busy building a few more repair chambers along with a few other jobs, he was already dozing once he was done.

Optimus turned his head over to the Maximal templar's direction. "We were just discussing about how the others are going over near Steveston Dam. Would you care to check to make sure they're alright?"

"Already on it, sir," replied the mammoth as he then typed a command in order to make contact, starting off with Red Alert. However, it seemed that the cry of alarm that came on screen snapped Tusklaw awake and Optimus to attention, and Carlos was the one to say it over communications. "Optimus! We've got a problem!"

"Huh?" asked Optimus as Rad's face then appeared on screen via Laserbeak. "Hey you guys, hurry! Red Alert, Grindor and Carlos were buried in a mudslide!"

"Oh, this sounds serious!" cried Alexis as Rad explained the details. "Smokescreen's digging for them right now. But we've got an even bigger problem. A little kid's buried under all that muck with them!" Not only that, Sean's father was also calling out for his son, when he noticed he wasn't at the campsite.

"Stay calm boys. Red Alert, transform,"

"Optimus, he can't. People are watching him!"

Tomoyo then approached the screen. "There's not much people there, and hopefully it would be safer. If not… oh, think up of a Plan B or something!" Alexis turned to the Autobot commander. "Optimus, please. You've gotta bend the rules and let him transform. We don't have time!"

Tusklaw's look changed to that of worry. "Easier said than done Alexis, but that's not how I see it. Look!" And as he pointed out to another screen, the screen flashed on, and a news bulletin has started. What's worse, the scene was at the same scene as the mudslide.

"This is Kelly Bongartner reporting live from the scene of a gruesome mudslide," came the reporter's voice as Alexis then whirled around in shock. "Digging equipment is on the scene and frantically trying to unearth the vehicle that is alleged to be buried under the rubble, along with two young boys! C'mon, I need a close-up for my network resume!"

"Oh no, they're on TV. Now there's no way Red Alert can transform without being seen!"

Sunstreaker pounded her fist onto the floor. (That's just bites the cake! First a mudslide, and now even the media had to intervene! What next, a whole convoy of reporters?)

(It isn't going to be easy then,) added Sureshock, as Optimus then shouted, "Initiate Rescue Protocol! Tusklaw, what are you doing?"

"A good rescue team wouldn't go without good equipment first, sir!" he replied as he then turned to another screen. "SENTINEL, ACTIVATE! RESCUE PROTOCOL! ACTIVATE EQUIPMENT SELECT PROGRAM FOR VEHICLE MODES!"

"Sentinel?" asked Tomoyo in surprise as the screen then opened up, selecting the equipment for the mission. "Like it? Aura and I installed it as a way of a worldwide analysis of the missions and events, and it can also display signs of sentience, or semi-sentience. It can also run our base as well as supply us with the possible equipment for any mission, including weapons and defences, along with security. Consider it a joint-project, though it was actually Aura who had the skills," explained the Transmetal Woolly Mammoth. When the selection was done, he then followed Optimus to the warpgate.

"What's the plan Optimus?" asked Hotshot, as he, Scavenger, Tusklaw, Wipeout and their Minicons met them at the hallway.

"We dig them out at any cost!"

"What about Decepticons?" asked Scavenger, as Wipeout then replied, "What are you talking about, Master? No Decepticons are going to show up on a rescue mission like that,"

"And besides," finished Tusklaw. "We're only needing rescue equipment, which will be waiting for us at the warpgate," Which it was, because within two minutes, the remaining Autobots and Maximals have just transformed into their vehicle modes. Wipeout, in his Cybertronian Comanche mode, was equipped with his electromagnet to assist with the rescue, while Tusklaw equipped himself with a front-mounted shovel. Not only that, he was also carrying an airborne shovel scoop, in which he was going to give it to Aura once he arrived.

Alexis was at the screen as the Autobots prepared themselves for the launch. "Warpgate one hundred percent and ready to go, Optimus!"

"When we arrive Tusklaw, I want you to go ahead and relay the position via Aura. For now, begin launch sequence! Launch!" yelled the tractor-trailer, as he was the first to go. Along with Hotshot, Scavenger, Wipeout, and Tusklaw, they then set off to rescue their comrades before the flood strikes.

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_Inside Red Alert…_

"I'm scared... I'm so scared..." whimpered Sean as he lay, trapped inside Red Alert because of the mudslide. Since he was a kid, he still had a lot to learn… the hard way at times at childhood.

"Don't worry, kid," reassured Carlos. "They'll get us out of here in no time. Right you two? They'll get us outta here,"

"Anytime now," replied Red Alert, while Grindor checked the ETA. (However, we have only approximately thirty-six minutes to escape. And we need more digging power other than just Smokescreen alone. But don't worry; we'll be out in no time!)

"See?" replied the Hispania boy with a smile.

_At the site of the mudslide, however…_

"With each passing second, the situation below the dam here becomes more critical. It's a race against time trying to unearth the boys! Work is frantic, because once they open the dam gates; this entire canyon will be flooded. And look! There doesn't seem to be anyone operating the heavy equipment!" There was much excitement in her tone of voice as she reported the scene. Before she arrived at the site, it getting boring for her, and Kelly hasn't received much pay. But with the scene involving the landslide and the unmanned vehicles, this would be a good opportunity to gain a good position in the reporting agency. However, the faint wail of the siren then sounded. "Is that a siren?"

The cameraman turned to the direction of the sound. "Must be some kind of warning. I say we get outta here and quick!"

"Oh, and you call yourself a Photo Journalist?"

"I don't care what you think, but I'm sure as heck not crazy!"

"Give me that!" snapped the reporter as she snatched the video camera off her partner. "Coward."

"Hey! Suit yourself!" came the reply, as Roger then ran back to safety.

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_Under the moon's surface… _

Bubbling chemicals, swirling of unknown liquids, and clinking of test tubes sounded, as Tarantulas was busily creating something. It has only been a few weeks since he arrived along with Waspinator on the moon's surface, and already the spider was getting bored. Surely, his skills were valued among the ranks of the Predacons and even the Decepticons.

However, his demeanour seemed to have a negative effect on the other soldiers. There was a lot of distrust, an air of dislike that surrounded them. But Tarantulas wouldn't mind. He wasn't completely loyal to Megatron, in his own mainframe. In fact, his only loyalty was himself.

Still, he was busily trying to find a way to create a weapon. Either mechanical or biological, he thought it would be of good use even since the renegade femme humiliated the Decepticons and Predacons. Right now, he was carefully trying to add the right amount of a blue solution to a formula he was working on.

_Just about three drops should do the trick. Carefully, carefully… _

BOOM!

"COME BACK HERE YOU COWARD!"

Unfortunately, all that resulted in was an explosion in the lab. When the smoke cleared, it looked as if Tarantulas had made a miscalculation. However, by the sound of that voice, he knew whoever was chasing whom above the surface, has obviously disrupted his work. By the time the voices disappeared, Tarantulas was already seething in anger since of the disrupted experiment. _These fools are so going to pay for this…_

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_Great, only just been dispatched and still no sign off Optimus and the boys yet! I only just hope they're… _

But no sooner had the Transmetal phoenix finished thinking; she then heard the sound of engines. Which was a good sign, because she then sighted her fellow comrades driving through the rain on muddy ground. _Just in time! _She grinned, as she headed towards them in Cybertronian Concorde mode. "You guys finally made it!"

"Never mind the relief, Aura!" replied Tusklaw, as he then tossed her the airborne shovel scoop. "What's the situation?"

"According to Grindor inside Red Alert, we only have an ETA of thirty-six minutes to escape!"

"Lead the way then!" commanded Optimus. "If we are to save Red Alert and the others, let's go!" And then, the entire unit moved onto the site, just a worried looking man headed up to them.

"Hurry! You gotta save my son!" he pleaded. But since the Autobots and Maximals didn't want their identities revealed, they stayed silent. "What's the problem?"

"C'mon! Let's clear out! I'm sure these guys know what they're doing," replied Rad, but Sean's father refused to budge. "I'm not leaving here!" he protested, but Hotshot, who drove up to him in vehicle mode, quickly knocked him out.

"Help him inside, Rad, pronto!"

"Right!" he replied, as the rescue operation began. With Tusklaw and Scavenger scooping up the mud, along with Aura, Wipeout was hovering above Smokescreen's spot with the electromagnet just in case he uncovered the trapped occupants. However, it was a long operation, as nearly twenty-one minutes has passed.

"Hey, Smokescreen, Aura, any luck yet?" called out Scavenger.

"Nothing! But keep digging, we're running out of time! How about you, Wipeout?"

"No luck yet," answered the helicopter. "I'm just glad there's no thunderstorm, which is good thing!"

Optimus then drove up to the site. "Let's pick up the pace, men. Rad, time to evacuate!"

"Gotcha," came the response, as he was about to get inside Hotshot. That is, until Laserbeak flew out of the interior. "Hey, what's up, Laserbeak?"

On the other side of the riverbank, Kelly was still filming the scene. "You can feel the intensity in the air as more rescue vehicles arrive here on the scene. It was only a few minutes ago when they sounded a warning siren. And now, with only seconds to spare, it's a race against time to rescue two young innocent victims trapped under thousands of tons of earth!" Just then, Laserbeak flew onscreen. "Wait a minute! What's this?" The reporter let out a small cry as the mechanical bird transformer knocked her down.

"Gee, sorry about that, Kelly," said Alexis sarcastically as she and Tomoyo was watching the scene. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, the brunette spotted something. "Oh no! They've opened the floodgates!"

"Not good!" yelped Tomoyo as she quickly turned to Sentinel. "What's the ETA?"

"One minute and twenty-four seconds remaining," It spoke out as one of the screens then flashed over to the dam. As the alarms began to sound, the floodgates were slowly opening, releasing the water flow. Little by little, the flow began to grow in power, as it surged down the riverbank at top speed, without stopping.

Back at the riverbank, from above a safe distance, Rad, Billy, Fred, their Minicon partners, and Hotshot, watched the rescue. "Y-ya think they'll be alright?" asked Billy with much concern in his mind.

"Hope so. I really hope so," came Rad's response. From inside Red Alert, it was a good thing four seconds passed as a streak of light shone inside the canopy. "Wait a minute. Yes! I can see daylight. They've found us!" And Carlos quickly gave out a sigh of relief.

"I found them!" cried Smokescreen, as he unearthed the SUV. "Hurry! Wipeout, Smokescreen, haul them out!" replied Scavenger, as the helicopter quickly activated his electromagnet while Smokescreen assisted by using his crane hook. They were able to pull Red Alert and his occupants out just in time as the floodwaters quickly flowed down the bank. Quickly, Optimus then used himself and the trailer as a barrier while at the same time, both Scavenger and Tusklaw assisted in blocking the river flow with their vehicle modes.

"There's no time to lose men!" shouted the Autobot commander as he struggled against the floodwaters.

Once Red Alert was safe and sound on the riverbank, it was time for the warriors to evacuate. "Good work, Smokescreen. And just in time, too."

"Just doing my job. Now let's get outta here!"

Not wanting to be stuck again, the medic gave out his orders. "Longarm, do your thing," he ordered, as the Minicon powerlinked with him and prepared the cable gun. "Locked on," and with that, the cable was fired to the nearest cliff top, where it secured itself there.

"SMOKESCREEN – TRANSFORM!" yelled the crane, as he transformed into robot mode, where he prepared to ride to safety. "Haha, sweet ride, Red Alert! I'm outta here!"

"And I'm right behind you," added the medic, as he swung himself over the river. "I might as well follow you," started Wipeout, until his sensors detected movement on the cliff. "Right after I deal with an unwanted visitor," Inserting the electromagnet away, he then transformed into robot mode and flew off, with Aura following behind him in robot mode.

Now it was time for Optimus and the rest of his men to make their leave. "Good work, Scavenger. Now it's our turn. OPTIMUS PRIME - TRANSFORM!" While his trailer headed off to a safe spot, the two warriors then decided to make their move as well.

"SCAVENGER – TRANSFORM! YEAH!"

"TUSKLAW – MAXIMISE!" Now that the three warriors were in robot mode, it was time to escape.

"There's no time to lose!" commanded Optimus. "We're right behind you!" added Scavenger, but they have barely gone a few feet when a large log suddenly knocked the bulldozer down.

"Scavenger!"

"Don't worry Prime, I got him!" yelled Tusklaw, as he quickly grabbed onto the instructor's giant hand while his left arm hung onto Optimus. At the same time, his mammoth trunk also hung on.

"Optimus!" cried Hotshot as he watched on from above the cliff. "Oh no! They're going to be washed away!" added Rad.

From another cliff top, Kelly just managed to start filming of the dramatic rescue. However, she only recorded a few seconds of it when suddenly, she felt a great force wrench her from the video camera. "Hey, what do you think you're doing!"

"Don't you know that silence is golden?" growled Wipeout, as he forced the camera from the reporter's hands. "Sorry about this, but things like that are going into the scrap heap!" With that, he tossed the camera over a great distance and destroyed it with his Vulcan Cannon within seconds.

"Y-y-you destroyed… m-my film…" Kelly shuddered in horror, as she watched the pieces fall. She yelped as Wipeout aimed his optics right at her.

"Whether you want to value your life or your career, it's your choice. But at a time like this, some secrets are best left covered, and no one will believe you," The Cybertronian Comanche began inspecting his weapon. "Now, I might as well tell you this for your own safety: Get out of here, do not speak any word about us, or I will change my mind on whether I'll delete your memory permanently, let you live, or let you piss your pants til the very end," The woman didn't have to think twice before she ran off, not looking back. As Wipeout transformed into vehicle mode, he then spotted a glowing cable launch out from the side of another cliff. From the flowing floodwaters, Tusklaw sighed with relief as Optimus grabbed the cable, as he was nearly out power. Now that Red Alert and Smokescreen have safely moved the kids and the Minicons to a higher location, they managed to haul the three warriors up, along with Wipeout and Aura's help (in which they lifted Scavenger and Tusklaw). When that was done, they quickly headed to a hidden location in the forest.

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It was only a few hours later that Sean was able to wake up. At first, he only fell asleep during the rescue, but didn't see what actually happened. However, with the sun shining in his eyes, it was time to wake up.

"Hey kid, it's over," Sean then woke up at first to see Carlos holding him. Next, his eyes shifted over to the giant robots, as he instantly leaped up in awe. _It really is true… these robots are really real! _ He thought, as he saw the five of the Autobots and the two Maximals circled in his view.

"Everything is back to normal, kid," Optimus said warmly. Just then, a noise sounded as Hotshot arrived in vehicle mode. When he arrived, the door opened as Sean's father groggily came outside. "Ohhh, where am I?"

"Dad!"

"It's Sean!" cried the man as father and son are now reunited in a happy hug and laughter. "You okay, son?"

"Yeah, I feel great, Dad! And it's all because of those giant robots who saved me!"

"Yeah right, those giant robots,"

But his son was excited. "Go ahead. Take a look for yourself, Dad," However; when they turned around, there was no sign of them. "Huh? Hey... Where'd they all go?"

His father patted Sean's head as a sign of comfort. "Don't worry, son. They probably all went home and that's just what we're gonna do, okay?"

"Okay!" chirped the reply. As Carlos watched, he, like the others, was happy to see a family united. Now, it was time for them to return home.

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"You've got to believe me! I'm not lying, I keep telling you, a giant robot stole away my once chance at making it to TV Network! He destroyed my film!"

"Yeah, yeah lady, keep yer shirt on," growled one of the ambulance attendants, who were carrying the wailing reporter away into a nearby ambulance. No matter what Kelly said, that didn't stop the authorities from taking her away, while being wrapped up in a straight jacket. By then, she realized too late about the warning the 'giant robot' was trying to tell her about. Roger, who was watching in the van, sighed as his former colleague was driven away. Without her bossing him around, he was feeling slightly sorry for her but at the same time, he was relieved he did not have to put up with her for a while, considering after what happened. Now all he has to do was to head back to the office. But even as he drove past the river along the way, he failed to notice a ruined piece of evidence that could have given out proof that giant robots do exist.

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_Back at Autobot/Maximal HQ… _

"Hey, I'm not mad, okay? Let's not argue anymore," growled Alexis, as she, Tomoyo, Sureshock, and Sunstreaker waited for their comrades' return. She was already getting impatient even as her partner Minicon beeped a reply. "I said I'm not mad!" she yelled, as Tomoyo signalled her as the warpgate activated. At that moment, the whole fleet of warriors returned though the warpgate, most of them in vehicle and beast modes. When they arrived, the boys and the Minicon partners came out of the respective vehicles, slightly dejected, but alive.

"Aw man, that camping trip was cruel," Carlos gave a tired sigh as he exited out of Optimus' cab. "You're right," nodded Billy in agreement. "The weather spoiled everything,"

It was then Alexis came up to the boys, greeting them. "Welcome back, guys! Good to see you guys back safe and sound!" All of the other boys were somewhat surprised, as they were not expecting a warm greeting. Even Tomoyo was surprised at her friend's actions.

"Hey, don't worry, I'm not mad at you guys. I guess I kind of was at first, but I'm over it now," Then suddenly, she turned the opposite direction. "Like I said, I'm just glad you're safe,"

The others looked up in surprise, even with the Minicons. Alexis's face was turned away, so the others, well maybe not Tomoyo, couldn't see her sorrowful face. "I was… really scared you guys wouldn't make it,"

"Hey, we understand," said Rad cheerfully. "And next time, you're coming along too, Alexis," added Carlos.

"Yeah, that's for sure," replied Fred, as he then turned over to Tomoyo's direction. "Don't forget to add her to the list as well," stated Billy, as the other girl nodded in agreement.

"Alexis…" started Red Alert. "We really missed you out there,"

"I agree," added Smokescreen, and Tusklaw nodded in agreement. This was when Optimus concluded, "Well, it's nice to see everyone back together again," he said, as a smile appeared on Alexis's face. "Thatta girl,"

"You and the Minicons told me to stay strong before, right Alexis?" asked Tomoyo with a smile. "Maybe you should do the same at times," Her friend nodded. "Thanks, you guys," That also touched Aura, who was nearly had a shadow of a tear in her phoenix optic.

It was then a sneaky grin appeared on Carlos's face. "Well, my dad says when Mom gets angry..."

"Shut up, Carlos," hissed both Rad and Tomoyo at the same time.

"He tries to give her a compliment and hopes she gets all warm and fuzzy again,"

"Hey, she can hear you!"

"WARM AND FUZZY AGAIN, CARLOS!" snapped Alexis, as the Hispania boy realized his mistake too late. However, he was snickering and laughing as he started running off. "Argh! Run for your lives! Alexis is on the loose!"

"Hey, come back here!" yelled the brunette, as she was about to chase him. However, her Minicon partner stopped her momentarily. "How come you're taking his side, Sureshock?" she asked, as she turned to pursue her friend again. "Boys are all the same!" With that, everybody, including the Minicons, laughed at the scene, glad that everything was back to normal.

"Can't we all just get along?" asked Carlos while he continued running.

_Not a chance, pal. _Thought Alexis, while smiling. It was good of her to let out a little steam once in a while at least, even though she missed out on a vacation. At the same time, Tomoyo was also glad that her friend was also back to normal. And hopefully, the months will become much better for the Japanese herself once she was fully over her past demons, with a smile. _As long as we have each other… there's nothing to fear. I'm proud to have friends like them… _

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_Back in Tarantulas's lab… _

Tarantulas was pissed. Way pissed. Whoever was disrupting his work obviously had no sense of respect. However, an evil idea sprung inside his head. He decided to test out his latest invention at the disturbance. Carefully, he slung the canister launcher over his shoulder.

The launcher he was using had a special targeting system that was designed to target opponents even when underground. Inside the tube of the weapon, a strange, claw-like projectile was sticking out. With that in mind, he carefully targeted the occupant above ground.

As soon as the crosshairs got a lock-on, he fired. As the projectile soared, it automatically drilled though the hole. For a moment, it disappeared for a few seconds. However, just as ten seconds ended, the display screen on the launcher confirmed the test. "Mission accomplished. Test successful,"

Gleefully chuckling in victory, Tarantulas went to see how his canister claw did well. Transforming into tarantula mode like his namesake, he hurried up to the surface. However, he was in for a shock, as he came face-to-face, with a Star Sabre-wielding Megatron, who holding the sliced-up projectile. A drop of liquid was hanging out of the leader's mouth.

"I suppose this belongs to you, my arachnid friend?" he asked sceptically, with a hint of curiosity and amusement at the same time. Unfortunately, for the Predacon, he had no other words to say but, "Oh, shit,"

"Looks like I found another suitable candidate for my training program!" he yelled triumphantly, as he began to chase the spider around (who quickly transformed into robot mode). Just as he did however, something began to stir in stomach. Apparently, it seems as what ever was inside the projectile quickly had an effect on the Decepticon leader. Automatically bending down, while dropping the Star Sabre in the process, Megatron was already feeling the effects of the toxicating mix of chemicals. It was now Tarantulas's turn to snicker, while hiding behind a rock formation. After a few seconds, the rumbling stopped. Megatron, who thought the unusual sensation stopped, quickly stood up.

"Now where could my dear comrade Tarantulas be hiding? Come out; come out, wherever you are... So I can dice you up into small little pie… CCCCCCHHHHHOOOOOOOOOO!" Out of nowhere, a huge beam of Energon shot out of his mouth as he suddenly sneezed. Shocked, he had no idea how that happened, and quickly has he seen it, he dismissed it. "…ces. I know you're here some… HIC!" This time, however, another beam of energy shot out, narrowly missing Tarantulas in the process and creating a new crater on the moon's surface. A few seconds later after that happened, he sneezed again. Already, he became frustrated as he no matter how he tried to stop it; he couldn't stop sneezing and hiccuping without damaging the moon's surface at the same time.

"TARANTULLLLLAAAAAAASSSS!"

It almost looked as if Megatron was suffering a cold, but in a Cybertronian form.

_Decepticon/Predacon Moonbase… _

"Did you hear something?" asked Demolishor once he was out of the healing chamber.

"Waspinator doesn't know, no," came the reply.

Back outside, Tarantulas, however, was smirking at his accomplishment. "Energon Discharge Virus, one, Tinned Tyrant, zero," he chucked, as he held a container of antidote in his technorganic claw. He might as well watch the fun continue for a few minutes or so. For a seeming shocking experiment, he had his way of a sadistically fun day.

"Ah, Tarantulas. You silly, creepy, eight-legged bastard," chuckled Sideways, who was watching the scene nearby. With that, he then decided to return to the Decepticon/Predacon Moonbase, chuckling at the failed attempt of a training program.

_To be continued… _

Final Genesis: Probably not my best attempt to remake the episode, though I wish I could make this funnier. In a series like Transformers Armada, it probably seems difficult for me to make something amusing like this. Oh yes, one more thing. The Energon Discharge Virus was actually from the Beast Wars episode, 'The Low Road'. It's just that it been a while since I saw that the episode, it was one of my favourite Series One episode. I'd just thought I reintroduce it.

In the meantime, hopefully this term of Year 12 will be decent. I better be off once again. Hopefully, read and review! Though this isn't my best chapter though.

This is Final Genesis, signing out!

P.S: Expect two more new characters soon alongside Blurr… one of them who maybe you will find familiar even though in a minor appearance and an assassin of my own… try to guess the factions…


	9. Hitokiri

Final Genesis: Two months since my last update… what a drag. But I'm glad it's the holidays, which is the good news. The bad news is, it's the last week of the September Spring Holidays. Damn.

In any case, here's my response for each of my loyal reviewers!

**Angel of Forgotten Souls: **Except for not reviewing Chapter 6, that's a lot of reviews. To answer your questions, I started learning Japanese in Grade 8 of high school. And no, Tomoyo isn't exactly superpowered, and if she were empowered, there would be too many Mary Sue-related Transformer fics already. But I'm glad you asked! Thank you!

**Flamestrike: **Enjoy this chapter well, I guarantee it! How's Phoenix Rising going?

**Pivot: **Ah, thank you for the reviews! Hopefully, you'll see how my latest Minicon addition is going!

**Shadow of the Phantom: **Pressies? You shouldn't have! (Smiling) But I guess that's your repayment, I thank you for it! And if only I could see Tarantulas in action again on Beast Wars!

**Chiomon: **Bet you'll like this remodification of 'Reinforcement'!

**Master Solo: **I believe Tarantulas is one of your favourite Beast Wars characters, or not really? Nevertheless, thank you once again!

And now, the disclaimer!

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The only characters I own are the ones that I made. This time, the chapter is set in the episode, 'Reinforcement'. Expect a change in some of the lines. I also don't own the moves from Rurouni Kenshin and Final Fantasy VIII as well.

Enjoy the chapter!

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 9: Hitokiri **

Another day… equals another night. Now that the sun was nearly gone over the horizon, the city of New York was bustling with many citizens returning home, whether from work, or with some of them going for a night out. The sounds of laughter, excitement, traffic, and even the yelling and fighting intrigued many ears. And just like many others, one was no different.

A stranger was checking out a nearby directory near a shopping complex. A newcomer without a doubt. Considering the many stories he heard about this modern, evolved metropolis, he was looking forward for a good exploration. In his own mind, he was reminiscing. A war from long time ago. One in which he was caught in the middle of it, a neutral, a survivor of an old battle. It has been a while since he even experienced anything like a vacation, or an outing and all, but at least he was satisfied that he could enjoy it while he still can. The very fact that he saw so much death and destruction was nothing knew to him. In a new place and time, he was pleased that he came to a place that wasn't the ideal war zone.

An enigmatic picture mainly covered in shadow, almost as if he disliked the light, as with the trench coat he was currently wearing. But even with his grim appearance (including his charcoal-coloured ponytail and the shades), that didn't stop him from attracting some attention, as with two women in their twenties.

"Hey, care to check him out?" inquired the redhead, as soon as she noticed him.

The other, an attractive black-haired woman with green pupils, checked him out all over. "He's hot! Now that's what I call a stud!"

"You're right! I wonder… if he's new around here?"

"Judging by the looks of him, maybe he's looking for a nightclub or something? Do you think he needs a date?"

"Looks like it. Let's talk to him. Maybe he'll go out with us!" Already, given that they made their decision, they headed over towards the stranger. But they only came a few steps away when he turned towards them.

"Whit a great night. Makes me want tae explore more, maybe ae date? Soch a nice night,"

The redhead was the first to make her move. "Hello, tall and handsome. How about some action later on tonight? Both of us are free,"

An amused chuckle appeared on his face, teeth showing like a new moon. "Hmm. Ye good time fer action, wee lass…" But his entire body suddenly tensed up along with a look of warning when he turned around. "…But ae very bad time fer crime, so git down!" no sooner as the words left his mouth, a sudden explosion rocked at the nearby bank. With that, the city was now in a panic, and even some people, including the two women, dropped themselves. What the stranger saw next intrigued him.

_Kidnapping plus stolen riches… how typical. These young 'uns thon days… they never learn. _A smirk appeared his face as he saw three hoods in their twenties, carrying what looked like two hostages. One of them was an employee of his late thirties, probably one of the bank tellers, while the other was a young woman who couldn't be older than nineteen years of age. With the confusion as the result of the explosion, the criminals managed to hijack a nearby car as a use for a getaway vehicle. Three seconds after the vehicle departed, a squad of police cars headed in hot pursuit in the same direction.

A few seconds afterwards, the two women managed to stand up after the blast. "This is too close for comfort, let's get out of here!" cried the redhead. However, her friend suddenly looked around. "But what happened to the guy? Did he just run off somewhere?"

"Don't tell me he's all bark and no bite… at least be grateful he warned us! Let's go then!" With that, the two women ran to safety, past a dark alley along the way.

However, what the people were unaware of was that somewhere, lurking in the darkest corners of the alley, was a form blacker than night, darker than even what nightmares are made of. If people had noticed it, it would have been the scent of a predator that hid there. However, it was nether human or animal that hid there. Somewhere inside, the form stirred as it came to life. Where there was the sickness, there has to be the medicine. Where there was crime, there has to be justice. Two yellowish-green lights then flashed.

_It was about time you returned, Crackshot. You weren't intending on staying here forever, right? Even with all the police here, instincts could tell that trouble isn't too far away. _

_All too well that new traps are being prepared. It's time. _

With that, a new sound erupted. And a few seconds later, the sleek, aerodynamic form of a glowing, black and green sports car headed out for the hunt.

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"The coppers? Whatever, man! The government? Whatever the fuck, man! They can't even stop us even if they brought up their big guns!"

It has only been a few minutes since the hold-up. However skilled the criminals were, they caused a lot of chaos as they weaved through the highway. What happened was this: selecting one of the busiest roads in New York, the car that contained the criminals and the hostages began weaving though the highway relentlessly, like a spider and her web. With the various traffic hindering the cops' progress, it didn't take too long until suddenly, they were picked off by a sort of projectile weapon, mainly a rocket launcher or a M203 Grenade Launcher. The remaining cops who survived could only stare or swear in both horror and frustration as some of their colleagues and the vehicles disappeared in a cloud of fire.

"This is easier than setting up a homemade bomb!" yelled the driver. "What sorry cunts!" All of them laughed sadistically as the drove away from the scene they caused. While the three men laughed without remorse, the two hostages whimpered without a word. Then the female gained enough courage to say this out. "Why have you decided to kidnap us? Isn't the money enough for you?"

One of the criminals turned towards the two unwilling occupants. "I think you know, but let me jog up your memory a bit. You two are a suitable bargaining chip for us to reach a higher power, maybe even take over the USA," he then turned towards the male hostage, who shivered, as he smelt his breath up close. "You're a former ambassador for the UN, aren't you? This is why we kidnapped you: to overthrow the so-called peacekeeping organisation of yours. As for the little lady here, she'll be a lovely little sex toy for all of us to play with," With a sickening smile, he licked his own lips in anticipation. The woman shuddered again in fear.

However, that fear was soon to disappear. And suddenly, a look of wonder came over towards the criminal sitting in the backseat. "I thought we blocked the road so the cops can't get through. What's with that car?"

The driver glanced at the rear-view mirror for a second. For the first time, he noticed it too, and a shadow of fear started to develop. What was pursuing them was black sports car, but something that was never seen by human eyes. It was a sleek, streamlined model, something that would resemble a McLaren F1 GT, currently one of the fastest cars in the world. But even though the stolen vehicle's occupants only saw it in front view, there was something unusual and sinister about it. The appearance of it seemed radically different from the basic model, as if the bodywork was remodified to have a futuristic feel. Aside from that, there was also a dark green stripe on the bonnet as well. But what seemed to creep them out the most was that the headlights had a predator-like appearance. Like a sort of cat…

"Uh, boss?" asked the criminal on the backseat. "Is it just me or is it gaining on us slowly?"

"Shove it Vinnie," sneered the driver. "That car isn't gonna catch up even if the tyres are blown. This Bugatti Veyron we stole can go up to speeds about 405 kilometres per hour while that worthless piece of junk can go about 386! This should be fun so hold on! If that doesn't work then use the rocket launcher to take it out!"

With that, he began to increase speed. In about ten seconds time, it was about to slowly get away from the pursuer… for now. However, the next part of show is something they were totally unprepared for.

The McLaren was almost about to lose its prey… however, it has other plans. As it began to increase it's speed over it's limit, the engine was almost about to overheat. But it wasn't only the engine that was heating up… the entire frame was also burning up as well! As the body turned into air molecules, to the shock of the helicopter pilot from above, the vehicle exploded into a massive fireball. Normally, most cars would be sent flying off the road. But with this car, it was nothing a little fire could handle. Automatically, with the newfound power, it increased its speed twice, this time as high as 443 kilometres per hour! Whoever was piloting the police helicopter, was obviously hallucinating quite badly.

Up ahead, the criminals and the hostages watched in horror as the now-burning pursuer gained speed, chasing them like an angry hellhound.

"What the fuck's happening, what the hell is it?!" screamed the front seat passenger. "VIN, SHOOT IT, SHOOT IT!"

"I'm trying!" his friend yelled, as he fired projectile after projectile at the predatory beast that was after them. But every time the blasts hit it, it never seemed to stop, and the criminals ran out of ammunition. At the last minute, its speed increased… by 50 kilometres more.

Everybody screamed as the hell machine closed in for the kill. However, just as death seemed inevitable… the car suddenly morphed into air molecules, and went right through them. After what felt like a few seconds, the occupants opened their eyes.

Vinnie was the first to look around. "Hey, Craig, Roland… are we alive?"

The front passenger Craig looked around. "It looks like we survived, but…" his face suddenly turned from relief to sheer horror. "WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO OUR HOSTAGES?!"

"Not just that!" cried Vinnie. "The cash is gone too!" All at once, the driver's face was the only one that was moving. "This is all too goddamn scary…"

_Way further ahead of the highway… _

The mysterious vehicle stopped at the side of the road, and as quickly as it did, the former hostages scrambled out of it. When they did, the bags of money were ejected next to them. Once they were assured that they were safe, the car proceeded to drive off. But that was when the man spoke up. "This power… it's not like a-a-anything w-w-we've seen on Earth. W-w-who or what are you?"

The driver slowly turned his face towards the two. "You coulda say, ah secret champion o' justice. But mah real name… is what ah keep to mahself. By the time the police arrives… this matter wid be taken care o'," With that, the stranger drove off to finish the job, leaving the two figures stare in both awe and horror.

_Now, back to the criminals… _

"How could this happen?" shouted Roland, who slammed his fist angrily on the dashboard. It had hardly been a few minutes since their heist and already, the trio already ran into bad luck. How, not only that their trump card were gone, so was their own good fortune, even though they were still driving along.

"This is too weird! A fucking car, stealing our precious cargo? That is way absurd!" added Craig in agreement. "How can something like that interfere with us? Whoever was responsible for this, let's take that cunt out!"

That was when Vinnie squinted his eyes at the space in front of them, while holding the binoculars. "Uh, is it just me, or is that freaky car wanting a rematch?" He was not wrong this time, as Roland managed to stop their car. Up ahead, their adversary was waiting, its light slowly dimming. Under the night sky, it was almost purring as it anticipated the next move.

It seemed that revenge had filled Roland's veins, because he was suddenly excited. "So that prick wants to bring it on eh? Nobody steals our cargo and gets away with it!"

"Uh, Roland?" shivered Vinnie as he remembered the last encounter. "Do you know what happened the last time? We'll be crazy to get ourselves…"

"SHOVE IT, VIN!" snapped Craig. "We survived it, right? We'll beat the crap out of it yet!"

"Right. That sorry hunk of junk doesn't look so tough. It's fucked!" And despite the warnings from their fellow accomplice, they ignored the warning, as prepared to take out their opponent. However, this would be their last time they make threats like that. And that was exactly what the mysterious vehicle wanted…

_These fools. What's with criminals wasting their lives on wealth? _

Revenge is what clouded both Roland's and Craig's minds as their stolen ride charged towards the target recklessly, regardless of its fate. Ambition… one of man's greatest weakness, and whoever their opponent was, it knew how to deal with it. If it had a face, a smile would have formed.

Then came the unexpected. Just as the two vehicles were only ten metres away from crashing point, the black McLaren's driver automatically ejected out of his ride, and disappeared. And when the crooks' Bugatti Veyron came into contact… it also vanished, faster than what the human eye can see. Not even stopping along the way, the men passed through.

"What did I tell you, Vin? That car and its driver must be nothing but a fucking ghost or a hologram or something. Even we can beat it!" cheered Roland, with his fist in the air.

Craig was patting his friend on the back. "Your driving skills are invincible. It was easy!"

"Too easy…"

The two men quickly turned to Vinnie, who was looking quite uneasy now. "What do you mean?" they both asked, in disbelief. They were bound to get the answer soon. Sooner than they think… as their friend pointed his finger at the sunroof. When they did… their faces slowly changed from a look of question to a look of horror.

A slow ripple appeared from above. Somehow, two glowing objects were staring down at them with a gleam of murder. Along with it, an outline of what looked like a weapon hung from above. For the three criminals, no sound came from them all, as suddenly they realised that they were overconfident. And that was when the ghostly being spoke out to them all.

"Do you know what happens when fire makes contact with oil?" The men realised too late as the ghost, or whatever that thing was, meaning. "The same thing… that would happen to all of you,"

The men's eyes all bulged out with fear, as suddenly, the weapon erupted into a blade of intense blue fire. At the last minute, they tried to escape. But as fast as they did, it was too late as the weapon sliced cleanly though the bonnet of the car, and right into the boot. And the men screamed in terror, too late realising that their fate was sealed. Seconds later, the car that was carrying them split into two, exploding into a pair of fireballs into the night sky, taking the screaming men with them. Both halves of the vehicle crashed onto the highway, burning away into no more then scrap pieces of metal. At that moment, the police cars suddenly arrived.

When they managed to finally rescue the hostages, they were shocked to see that they were scared, but alive and well, along with the stolen goods. One cop began questioning them. "Could you please describe to us what happened?"

The female hostage gained the courage to speak out. "I don't know. One thing was I thought we were going to be killed. And the next minute, some mysterious rider rescued us, and then all of the criminals were killed. Just… like that. It's both strange… and horrific at the same time," At that time, the policeman offered to take the two people home.

However, the former UN ambassador still had the uneasy feeling. The feeling that their savoir was inhuman, more than just a human. If he was able to control his vehicle to save them, and cut down the criminals with a single blow, then what was that unseen force? _Who was he…? _

Over the distance, on a nearby building, the mysterious driver was watching the scene below. But he wasn't the only one to witness this. As he watched, a larger form landed beside him, covered in shadow, a sign of a vague appearance.

_There are times ye have tae control ye own spark. It still makes me wonder why ye have to cause something like this. _

The tall figure gazed out as the sky flashed into a burning crimson. Even for their arrival on Earth, this place was no different. Conflict can truly be spread at any time and at anyplace. Which is why the rats have to be exterminated.

_No matter where we go Crackshot, humans and Transformers really do have conflict as something in common. I became a warrior so I could bring along a peaceful era, and as an undercover agent… the rats are mine to pick off. But we must keep going. We wouldn't want to keep Optimus waiting, hm? _

_Aye. Ah dinae think Blurr would be pleased considering where ye went. We better cover up the evidence from the humans. Let's go. _

The two fires were burning into the night as the mysterious duo made their exit. As for Crackshot's accomplice, a thought came into view. _Get ready Aura. We will meet again… _

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Hardly ten days has passed ever since Aura joined the Autobots and Maximals in their quest to recover the Minicons. Even though she still feared fighting, lately she has gained a little confidence. Most of the time, she practised with both Hotshot and Scavenger to help improve her skills, and in other times, she was helping Red Alert, Tusklaw and even the Minicons with the repairs and all. Aside from that, she was even training alongside Wipeout and her brother Smokescreen in the training simulation, and learning about the lifestyle from Optimus.

However, she felt that something was missing in her life. Ever since she joined the two peacekeeping factions, she couldn't help but wonder that something else is going to change. Something that would help her preserve the peace. Other than Windchaser giving her advice, there wasn't much clues given out on what happened next, everything was hazy ever since she went offline one million years ago since while the Minicons weren't as involved as such.

But there was no time to think of this, because right now, she was in the middle of an intense battle. Surely, the Autobots and Maximals have obtained a lot more Minicons in the last few cycles, but ever since of the last victory, the Decepticons and Predacons have become more determined in the last fortnight. And it seems Megatron was more dangerous then ever with the Star Sabre. Just in case things became serious, she was armed with her own personal weapons, this time armed with twin, Cybertronian versions of the Bushmaster Carbon 15 Type 21 Pistols, which were attached to her split, side-mounted phoenix head/holsters. However, Megatron was not letting the Autobots and Maximals have a chance, considering that Demolishor was busily searching for the Minicon while the other cronies surrounded the rest.

This included Hotshot and Smokescreen attempting to charge through the enemy. "You two are practically begging for punishment. Now, which of you shall I dismantle first? Shall we vote, and make it democratic?"

"You're dismantling nobody!" snapped Aura as her semiautomatic pistols were pointed out at the Decepticon leader, ready to fire just in case things got ugly. But Megatron was still laughing. "Do you obviously think your time with the Autobots and Maximals have gotten you anywhere, little girl? I suppose you'd rather be playing computer games than fighting right about now!" A low growl came out as the former Predacon tried hard not to lose her temper.

"Remember Aura, don't let Megatron psyche you out. That's what he wants any of us to do," advised Tusklaw, as his Frost Grenade Machinegun and chain mace were at ready. _Hopefully Red Alert makes the shot count while he's at it. _As he predicted, the medic was sneaking up to the cliff in order to get into a good sniping position. Back at the base, the kids were watching intently.

Already, Carlos had a look of dismay on his face. "Aw, man! Get a load of this, guys. It looks like we're gonna lose another Minicon to those dweebs,"

"Maybe," replied Rad. "But I wish you wouldn't be so negative,"

"We have been collecting more Minicons since Wipeout, Tusklaw, and Aura joined, right?" added Tomoyo who had her arms crossed and nodding at the same time. "Even though the Decepticons have been collecting some at this time as well, there's no need to get down into the dumps!"

"With the Star Sabre in the Decepticons' hands, our changes are slim to none," said Billy grimly. "We aren't the only ones to gain new members,"

Fred nodded in agreement. "Yeah,"

However, Alexis was having none of it. "Hey, we're supposed to be the support team cheering on the Autobots, not the other way around. They're out there fighting, so how about a little encouragement?"

Rad nodded. At a time like this, there was a good reason for the Autobots to win this one. "I hate when she's right, but this is one of those times," he said, as he and the others watched Red Alert crawl up into his position. Just then, Demolishor found the object he was looking for. "Oooh. Ah-huh-heh-heh! I found another Minicon of my own! Megatron will love me for this!" he laughed. He was unaware that Red Alert was prepared to fire his cannon in an effort to snag the Minicon. But not until Cyclonus detected movement a few metres away.

"Huh? Well, well, an Autobot! Gotcha!" he hooted victoriously, firing at the spot, as the kids even could hear the medic cursing as a result. For the first time ever, even Waspinator scored a few bullseyes.

That caused Rad to shout out, "He's been hit!"

"Red Alert, do you read?" shouted Alexis, and Carlos sighed. "Too bad. He almost had 'it too," For a moment, on Tomoyo's normally compassionate face, she fought the urge to slap her friend behind his head for that comment.

Unable to contain his excitement any longer, Demolishor gloated over his victory. "Megatron! I've got great news for you! Look, I've found a Minicon!"

"Ha ha. Yet another victory for the Decepticons. Pull out, men!" With that, all of the Decepticons and Predacons warped out of the battlefield, making Demolishor the last to leave. However, that left him vulnerable to an attack. And that was when someone else decided to make his move.

"Arrogance and pride, a tragic combination," growled the mysterious stranger. "They cause a bot to make mistakes. Like this," With a squeeze from the trigger, a shot from a Cybertronian sniper rifle managed to score a hit on Demolishor's fingers, sending the Minicon panel flying in the air, just as the Decepticon warrior warped out. As each of the onlookers' faces turned into that of surprise, even Alexis wanted to know. "What happened to the Minicon?"

She was bound to find her answer soon, as suddenly, a hidden warrior leaped into the air. "TRANSFORM – VEHICLE MODE!" In a form of silver and blue, a new Transformer entered the scene, shifting into a futuristic sports car in the process as he charged down the slope. "Who's the new guy?" demanded Hotshot.

"A Decepticon?" added Smokescreen, but Aura shook her head. "Not one of them for all I know…"

"That's Blurr," concluded Scavenger. "And he's a bit of a hot dog,"

"So that's who it is," murmured Optimus, as he watched the new warrior save the Minicon. He heard of many things about this warrior, who not unlike Wipeout, he was also a student of Scavenger. Blurr was the type of warrior who was relentless on every training ground, and not only that; he often dismissed glory, putting 110 percent into accomplishing his task. As he watched, the Minicon panel glowed, revealing a Minicon that looked like a dragster in robot mode. An obvious clue would be the blue dragster hood for his right arm, as he landed on Blurr's shoulder.

"Thanks for coming, Blurr. You've saved a Minicon from Decepticon control,"

The new warrior growled as he landed on the ground on his two feet, ignoring the compliment. "Mind telling me what I'm supposed to be doing with this Minicon?"

The Autobot leader carefully translated the newcomer's speech. "He says his name is Incinerator," he replied. "And he's chosen you as his partner,"

Hotshot was more than happy to welcome their new comrade-in-arms to the fray. "Hi, how's it going? I'm H…" But the new Autobot coldly walked past him without a word. Heading towards Scavenger, he noticed a look of curiosity on his face. "You've raised your skills a notch I see Blurr," complimented the instructor, seeing one of his former students in action.

"I'm flattered you noticed," came the reply.

Now an uneasy feeling came over to the Autobot youngster seeing the warrior's attitude at first glance. "He is on our side, isn't he?" asked Hotshot, with a hint of surprise. Wipeout however, has a hint of intuition in his mainframe. "Must not be much of a team player by the looks of things, I expect, nothing less. Other than his skills, his attitude hasn't changed quite a bit," he said. _But something isn't right about this scenario. Wasn't there meant to be… another Autobot Galaxus and Levitacus sent along with him? _

"Are you sure about this, Wipeout?" asked Hotshot, as the rest of the team started returning to HQ.

"If having calculations over chances, I'm never wrong,"

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When the Autobots and Maximals returned to HQ, there was no surprise that the kids and their Minicon partners greeted them warmly at the warpgate upon their arrival back. It was another successful mission, and with the growing number of members each day, their chances have grown higher. As expected, there were loud cheers and even whistling when the team returned to the base.

Other than the others congratulating them with the success, Tomoyo decided to go formal. "Okairi nasai," she smiled, bowing in response.

"English?" asked Carlos sceptically, and Grindor gave the answer. (Sunstreaker told me this a while back. It means, 'Welcome back'.)

"Thanks for the tip Grindor," replied the Hispania boy, as he turned towards the group, his eyes searching for the new Autobot. "So where is he?"

"There he is!" exclaimed Billy, awestruck by his appearance. "Check out that armour!"

Billy wasn't the only one who was impressed, as Fred also checked him out. "Whoa-how! Too radical!"

"I saw him first!" Afterwards, Optimus raised his hand as a means of silence. He then spoke out, "Kids, meet our new teammate. I'm sure you were watching him over the monitor and saw that last minute save. His name's Blurr,"

The excitement was too much for Carlos to handle, as he urged Rad for the introductions, pushing him in front of the new Autobot. For a moment, Rad was slightly nervous. But he gained his confidence to speak out. "Um... Uh, hey, how's it going? I'm Rad and these are my friends!" High Wire, Sunstreaker, Grindor, Jazz and REV already said their greetings.

The brunette stepped out from behind the boy. "Hi, I'm Alexis. And I already love that attitude of yours," and Sureshock beeped in agreement.

"You were super cool the way you snatched that Minicon from those guys!" smiled Carlos, and he wasn't the only one to speak out his compliments. "Yeah, we were watching the whole thing from here," added Billy.

"Hey, do you happen to have a website I can check out?" asked Fred, who couldn't help but grin. Various comments came from many of the kids, like, "That was so cool!" and "Yeah that was awesome!" Tomoyo however, was kind to enough to welcome Blurr without too much noise. "Don't worry. You'll get used to the excitement soon enough," That was when Optimus continued his introductions.

"These kids are from here on Earth. They're our good friends and have been invaluable in our battle against the Decepticons and Predacons," But the blue and silver Autobot turned to the other direction, beginning to walk off without a word. However, he was only able to go a few steps when he stopped. Tusklaw was the first to ask him. "Is something wrong?"

For the first time, Blurr showed a bit of suspicion, despite his helmet. "Are you sure these humans and the Minicons are the only occupants of this base?"

"Sentinel detects that nobody else is within the vicinity of headquarters. What's going on?" asked Aura, who managed to check the statics via her comlink. For a moment, Hotshot thought he heard a gulp from his crush's throat.

The newcomer's red optics narrowed in response. "Looks like I'm not the only arrival here… what's that sound?" Quickly turning to the right, he detected something that was hidden in the shadows. A slight glimmer radiated, and as fast as it did, the stealthy, silent form suddenly rushed out.

"It's fast! Too fast!" yelled Smokescreen, as he tried to charge in. But as quickly as he could, he couldn't manage to score a hit, as the form ran past, in a speed so fast that is was not registered by human eyes or even Cybertronian optics. The power of this agility even left multiple holes on the floor, almost as if it was nothing more than dirt. Worse of all, with that kind of power in the intruder's arsenal, it was impossible to predict it's next move, as it headed sideways, left, right, up and down the walls, and even upside down. As it rushed past, even that caused Tomoyo to automatically latch onto Carlos's arm in the confusion.

_If this is who I think it is, _snarled Wipeout, as he, Hotshot and Aura prepared to combat the threat. But when Aura attempted to position her weapons… she found herself a Cybertronian inch closer to decapitation as somehow, she found a floating katana blade aimed right at her throat. Paralysed, she did not dare to move an inch, or even let out a gasp. Hotshot, seeing his companion was in danger, pointed his weapon out, but it seemed like he was facing an adversary that was more of a ghost than a Cybertronian warrior.

Seeing the youngster's concern, Red Alert immediately lowered his own weapon, much to his friend's shock. "It's a standoff. In a situation like this, you have to keep your cool, or things would get ugly," To Hotshot's and Aura's own surprise, Wipeout also lowered his rotor shield as well as his Vulcan Cannon. As Optimus watched calmly, he saw that Wipeout's look changed from suspicion to that of a small victory. Focusing his gold optics on the invisible spot…

"Show yourself… Bladestriker," came the cold hiss.

As if by magic, air molecules began to show visibility as they circled around the one spot, much to the astonishment of the Autobots, Maximals, humans, and even the Minicons. It was almost as if supernatural forces were at work. Within seconds, the hand that held the sword appeared. A right arm, a body, a left arm and finally the head then followed it. When the shape finally formed itself… the form solidified, and the warrior was revealed.

If having to describe a warrior like this… this is how she turned out. With her height matching Aura's, it could be of no surprise that she was her age as well. In a colour scheme of black on black, the eerie glow of green displayed itself in random panels on her for effect. Her appearance almost gave out a description of a cloak, but unlike Scavenger, her cloak was in fact a part of herself, with the vehicle mode parts serving as her armour. Despite the cloak looking like a drawback that surprisingly meant that she has a high degree in speed. She was also wearing a helmet that has a faceplate on it, but that didn't cover up her samurai-styled ponytail protruding from the back of her skull, along with her predatory, aquamarine optics. With that kind of look, she truly looked like she was more suited for the role of an antagonist, a Decepticon even.

But what really caught their eyes and optics was either on her shoulders or on the back of her armour. On the specified locations was an Autobot symbol. It had its shape, though it was black, much blacker than even the depths of hell itself. However, in order to stand out, it was outlined in colour like blood. The outlined red matched it so well you could even smell blood on it, or even spilled Energon. In conclusion, this is a warrior who never took sides, a mark of an assassin.

Even though multiple guns would be pointed right at her, this mysterious Autobot, or whatever she was, never seemed to lose her cool in a tense situation. It could nearly go on for hours, and the only gun that was still pointing out was that of Hotshot's. Then came a voice that wasn't expected.

"If you would like, we could see who is faster,"

The voice came out in an innocent, childlike tone, something an antagonist wouldn't speak out. Slowly, Hotshot realised that even a flower has its thorns, and so, with no other choice, he reluctantly lowered his weapon. At the same time, the warrior named Bladestriker did the same. When she did, the blade retracted itself like an NT Cutter, returning back into its hilt. Then she placed her weapon away, and her armour and helmet/faceplate also withdrew itself, reviewing a lightly built warrior of a samurai/ninja-like form. Her innocence was like that of a child's yet her skill seemed to be more of a veteran's. Turning towards the Autobot youngster, she spoke out again. "What are you angry about? In order to time your reflexes quickly, it would take more than just the 'shoot first, reply later' policy. It would take a great degree of training to have heightened senses,"

"Yeah, I know that already!" growled Hotshot intensely; who only just knew the fact. "What I'm mad about is how you pretended to be an intruder and nearly decapitated Aura! Is that considered training to you!?"

"It just means that with the currently level of skill you have, you have to improve your technique. I believe Scavenger told you that in order to win, you must know yourself, and only then you will defeat your opponent, correct?" That left Hotshot fuming in anger but was trying hard to hide his fear at the same time.

"Nothing less from the Bladestriker, I presume," mused Scavenger, as Blurr walked up to her. "I'm not exactly interested in cooperating together, but where were you when we arrived on Earth? Another spying spree?"

"Chill. That's not how I get my kicks. Other people's business bores me, unless Optimus organises the most important secrets to be gained necessary during the war," Speaking of Optimus, he then spoke out. "As Wipeout must have figured out, we were wondering, where you went off to at this time?"

A small compartment opened up. "Would this interest you?" As quickly as she said that, a small, black and khaki jeep equipped with a TOW (Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire command-link guided) Missile System ejected itself from the warrior, transforming into a heavily armed robot with the Missile System on his back, and a singled-optical goggles on his face.

Alexis automatically recognised the mech. "Hey! It's a Minicon!"

(Thas correct, wee lass.) Replied the robot. (Many call me by the name o' Crackshot. Ah apologise about this lass's behaviour, she was uncontrollable in the last few days.) When his introduction was completed, Optimus thought best to introduce the new warrior. "It looks like Blurr is not our only visitor at our base today. With her skills, I'm sure she will be a valuable asset in our mission in saving the Minicons from Decepticon and Predacon control. Her name is Bladestriker,"

"Two new Autobots in one day! Man, that's cool!" cried Billy, as he looked over at the assassin. "What cool colours!" Jazz however, wasn't his usual carefree self. (I don't know… I don't think I trust this chick one bit.) He wasn't the only one who was feeling queasy. Suddenly, the atmosphere felt cold to some of the kids and their Minicons. It seemed that there was a hint of distrust as well.

Bladestriker however, still had a few words to say. "Oh yes. I managed to save two hostages from three criminals last night. The two were safe, but the criminals will be in damnation for the rest of their lives,"

For the first time, it was almost as if a vein snapped inside Wipeout, but he was trying hard to control it. "Wait a second. I know you have your ways of helping lives, but don't you think that's taking it a bit too far? It's already hard enough with a wayward reporter and all, but what if all this gets recorded on camera? They could have dismantled you for this!" And Trailbreaker nodded in agreement. (You and Crackshot could have gotten caught. Did you two have any devices to hide the evidence?)

"Trust me. We came prepared," Probably sick and tired of having to be in the conversation, Blurr walked off away from the crowd alone with Incinerator, much to the stunned faces that appeared on the kids. Bladestriker however, turned to Aura's direction. "You must be Aura, I presume?"

"How do you know my name?"

Strangely enough, the assassin aimed her open palm at the Maximal's head, as if almost preparing to hypnotise her. "I did make a pact with BlackArachnia that I would look after you once you returned to the Maximals and Autobots, correct? Trust me. You will find out soon enough," With that, she also decided to make her leave, leaving most of the occupants in both awe and horror. Tusklaw was one of them. _Even though she sided with us, it makes me wonder what she has learnt over the many stellar-cycles. In the many events to come, what could she be thinking? _

"You might want to let go of your boyfriend's arm now, Tomoyo," came the sudden reply. Instantly, an intense, strawberry-coloured blush came over the Japanese girl as she quickly released her hold since of Bladestriker's arrival. "G-g-gomen nasai!" Carlos was also blushing; he didn't notice she was latching on him ever since the assassin's entrance. Unfortunately for them, that was just the beginning.

"Hmm, is this a blush I'm seeing?" asked Sunstreaker with a hint of mischief in her mind. A wide grin was spread on her face.

"No it's not!" they both shouted simultaneously.

"You're both blushing even brighter!" she giggled, and the two kids were left in a state of confusion as a result. By that time, the others finally were able to calm them down. However, an uneasy feeling came over Aura as she turned to the direction the assassin has left. _BlackArachnia… is this the one who would raise me… right? _

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"YOU IDIOT!" screamed Megatron, after finding out that Demolishor lost the Minicon. "How could you have lost it?"

The loyal Decepticon was currently kneeling on the floor, holding his damaged right arm courtesy of the shot from Blurr. "Forgive me. I have no idea how it could have happened!" He whimpered as Megatron plunged the Star Sabre's blade onto the ground in front of him. "If I find out that Minicon was the last of the three Minicons that formed the Skyboom shield, then you will never step foot inside my base again!"

"Please, Megatron. Don't banish me. Anything but that! I'll make it up to you somehow. You know, sir, I'm your most dedicated servant. I've never questioned your authority and I've never done anything to harm you, ever,"

In the ranks of the Decepticons and Predacons, Sideways was bidding his time. But so was Tarantulas.

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Crackshot was amused, in many different ways. He was interested that he was going to have a chance to experience an alien planet like Earth, with the peaceful environment. Then there's the fact that he found many Minicons who heard of his reputation. Half of them either feared or respected him, because back on planet Cybertron long ago, he was one of the greatest sharpshooters in the galaxy. Despite his small size, he was rumoured to have the ability to target and take out a Decepticon or Predacon's weak point in a flash of an optic. He was one of the most sought-after Minicons who, despite never taking a side; his skills were the admiration of the many warring factions. But after the war was temporarily over, he was thinking of either taking a mercenary's role, or an instructor for firearms for the Autobots, Maximals and even Minicons.

After the crashlanding of the Minicon ship on Earth, the veteran was lying dormant until his reawakening recently. This was when he met Bladestriker, the warrior who would unlikely be suited for a teamwork operation. For an assassin, she was most capable in handling most solo missions by herself, without assistance. But something inside her knew that Crackshot would hold one of the keys into finding something. After much discussion, this unlikely pair set off.

Calmly, he watched as the Street Action Minicons were chatting with Incinerator near the control panel. He was only resting on his backside in the control room when REV and Jazz came up to him. (Top of the afternoon to you, Crackshot,) said Jazz cheerily. (Anything happening lately so far?)

(Aye. Nuthin that interests me a wee bit. Ah widnae ave known time has passed since our reawakening. The Decepticons and Predacons are still causin' trouble, right?)

(Not that I could understand much since of your accent. What are you, an Irishman? But other than that, you don't mind if you can tell us about Bladestriker, please? I thought I'd ask REV here but, other than knowing that she was one of the most skilled assassins of Cybertron, nothing else.)

A calm grin appeared on the sharpshooter's face. (Aye. Thon stories ae going on, ye both o' ye freens never heard of her?)

(That's correct. Most of her stories were snuffed out from the public, as some would say.) Replied REV thoughtfully. Ignoring the kids' attempt to strike a chat with Blurr, he focused himself to listen to what Crackshot has to say.

(Ach, these days. Ae'll tell yer both. There hae been many rumoors aboot a legendary warrior, o' the dark ages o' Cybertron. At thi' time, the Decepticons and Predacons hae been most trublesoom lately. Wha's worse, ae few renegades were plottin' on turning tae serve Megatron after ae few failed victories. Radicals most looney enough even planned on owerthrowing Optimus Prime in the process. But whit they didn't count on was that hell was aboot tae be unleashed upon tyranny itself.

A lethal swordswoman, this lass was. She was a pretty guid fighter and she toor doon most rats like tey ae scrap metal. Her skills ae so sharp they sliced through moor sparks o' many Cybertronians. But' that's noot all. According tae the few survivors and the fawk she has many abilities, and noot just as a ghost. Whit interested me was that she has the dangerous ability to alter her physical density into ten different forms, each o' ae different element. As ae example… this lass can becoom wind and becoom invisible, she coold hide in Cybertron's landscape so she can attack from anywhere, anytime. Many see her as ae hero who fought fer the golden age o' Cybertron. O' the clients she served howevor, some even foolish enough not hold the end o' the bargain were slain on the spoot. These ten elements this lass wields… what a way tae fight. It was like she was ae part of Primus within, or thae she wields a law tae 'Slay Evil Immediately'. But' that's just owerdoing with wha ah say. She's lethal as both ae hired assassin and ae undercover agent o' the Autobots.)

A sound of footsteps later, and Sunstreaker decided to join in the conversation. (You said something about ten elements, right? What ones are they?)

(Aye, ae'll also tell you, wee lass. She has the elements o' earth, fire, wind, water, light, darkness, thunder, wood, steel and ice. These skills aren't made from technology, they're rumoored tae be ae embodiment from ae ancient time. In fact, Bladestriker's like ae one-bot-elemental. Combine that with keen senses and swordsmanship, and she nearly unstoppable. There is ae wittle bit of mystery surrounding this lass, knowing way back. The style of fighting she uses seems tae be called something like 'Jyuuyoso Eien Mitsurugi Ryu', though ah don't know what's it's exact meaning. Ye the one tae know languages here, right?)

"Just because I know about six million languages doesn't mean I know any recent ones on Earth since a million years have passed," the gold Minicon replied. "I might have Japanese in my systems but, maybe Tomoyo would be able to help. Let's see… Jyuuyoso… that would be Ten Element/s, the next one would be Eien… Eternity… "

"Mitsurugi would be Royal Sword, and Ryu would be School, or better yet, Style. Thank goodness for Japanese classes and a few anime shows in my spare time," finished Alexis, as she and Rad walked up. "So it would be Ten Element Eternity Royal Sword Style,"

"And here I thought she would show up. Speaking of Tomoyo, where is she?"

"She was going to look for the other boys who were going to try to find Blurr. I just hope either she or the others don't do anything…" But no sooner has she spoke out, Carlos, Billy and Fred returned breathless, and not only that, they looked like they were scared out of their wits. Most of the others headed towards them to see what was the matter. "Man, what a hard-wire," sighed a dejected Carlos.

"C'mon, Carlos. Don't take it personally," replied Alexis. "Yeah, lighten up," added Rad in support.

"Easy for you. You didn't see the guy totally balling us out," muttered the Hispania boy, still thinking of Blurr's reaction with the large sniper rifle. The thought of it, combined with his words still gave him the chills.

"Couldn't have been that bad," came Alexis' reply again.

"Wanna bet?"

Billy was nodding in agreement. "He was totally freakin'. I know. I was there," Then suddenly, he whirled around. "Wasn't Tomoyo meant to be here right now?"

An expression of shock crossed over to Sunstreaker's face as soon as she heard the words. (I thought she was with you guys? Where the heck is she…) It seemed she was concerned about her partner's safety, because she quickly ran to the hallway. As the others watched, if Crackshot ever was a human, his eyebrow would have raised itself. "Now that's something ah normally dinae see any old day…"

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A simple whistling sound came as Tomoyo was walking casually by. Originally, she was going back to see how Carlos and the boys were doing after their little run-in with Blurr. But something nagged in her mind to find out more about the two arrivals. Especially Bladestriker. Out of the two arrivals, the assassin is what intrigued her the most.

It also reminded her something. Shouldn't her tutor have shown by now? It has only been a month since her arrival, but shouldn't she show up by now? Of course…

"What are you doing?"

"Kyaa!" shrieked Tomoyo in response. Only when she turned around, she saw her fellow Minicon partner behind her. "Oh, it's you. What were you doing here?"

"Looking for you. What else? When Carlos came back I thought his attempt to converse with Blurr affected your mind,"

"It's not Blurr that interested me, Sunstreaker. What intrigues me is Bladestriker,"

Surprisingly, Sunstreaker did not act shocked or anything. Instead, an optic was raised, as if she was raising an eyebrow. (Really? What's the reason why?)

"Maybe it's something involving her skill," she replied, placing her pointer finger on her right cheek. "This kind of swordsmanship, it's almost as if the samurai has been resurrected, like she's a kind of hitokiri. That's what intrigued me. It's almost as if it's a style closer to Japanese swordsmanship. Maybe either kendo or iaido,"

(Well I just got some information for you about the assassin.) Grinned the Minicon, as she began explaining the story Crackshot told her. When she was done explaining, Tomoyo's eyes were both open wide after hearing the information. "So, the fighting style is called, 'Jyuuyoso Eien Mitsurugi Ryu'. In other words… 'Ten Element Eternity Royal Sword Style', is it?"

(That would be the one. In any case, I guess we should head back right now, the others would be worried.)

"Well… maybe you have a point. But I was hoping to see Bladestriker in action," she sighed, as she and Sunstreaker began walking back. "In hopes to see if the rumours you said are true,"

"Thinking Rurouni Kenshin, hmm? But another question that comes into mind: What did Bladestriker mean when she would look after Aura when she returned to the Maximals?"

"I don't know. I only just knew the facts. All I know is that other than her being a Cybertronian version of Hitokiri Battousai, or a combination of manslayers, there isn't anything else I could think of,"

They had only walked for about eighteen steps when they heard the unmistakable sound of clashing metal. It instantly snapped them into attention. "Is that someone training?" asked Tomoyo in wonder, as she began running towards the source of the sound.

Sunstreaker however, wasn't going to let her out of her sight. "Hey wait up!" she yelled, as she chased after her in vehicle mode.

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_So this is their virtual training centre, _thought Bladestriker in both curiosity and amusement. _Let's see how this works… _

One million stellar-cycles (years) have passed… it amused her on how times have changed in her lifetime after joining the Autobots and Maximals. In her lifetime, she was used to the spoils of war. The spilling of Energon and the extinguishment of Sparks was nothing new to her. Other than that, she was even used to the distrust of her teammates. Like the execution of lives, they were nothing new. Despite living with the Autobots and their idea of peace, her skills haven't decreased, and this has not dulled the predator's fangs. Only a few Autobots and Maximals were able to trust her, like Wipeout, Red Alert, and Optimus. Surely, most of the commanders wouldn't entrust her with much missions, but of all of them, Optimus seemed to see potential in this unruly but self-reliable and loyal assassin. Her missions usually involved espionage, counter-intelligence, spying, and even a few assassination assignments in a few occasions.

As quickly as she finished studying the controls, she was not afraid to use it. _Against surrounding opponents… against an opponent your skill… or just basic target practise… I see how this goes… _

With that, she pressed the switch and initiated the stage. Instantly, the virtual training group converted into the abandoned outskirts of Cyber City. And all the while, amusement appeared on her face as her opponents appeared on stage. The glint of the predator appeared in her optics as they prepared themselves.

Already, she was prepared herself, as she ignited her katana in her saya (scabbard). Although it could not be seen at first, there was a sign that something has activated. She thumbed the sword hilt as she prepared herself, along with her right hand gripping the handle.

The first three opponents charged until she made her move. Once they were within her range, this was when she struck back. In a lightning arc, she drew her katana out in swift blows, and when she slotted the sword back in, the virtual opponents were sliced into half, and then burst into flames. That was one of her secret sword techniques, _Homuradama_.

The next opponent attempted to use speed as a way of putting Bladestriker at a disadvantage. But the assassin was already aware of that, and as soon as she lightly tapped the tip of her right foot on the floor, she instantly used the same technique as when she first made her entrance at Autobot/Maximal HQ. Faster than the naked eye she was, until finally, her foe was left lying down, with a lethal wound on its back. _Three steps shy of Shukuchi… _

She continued to evade most of her opponents, toying with them as she morphed into the element of darkness. Disappearing into the shadows, her mind was filled with amusement as her virtual enemies kept looking for her without much success. Thumbing her sword, she managed to hide the khaki coloured aura surrounding with shadows. Foolishly, her adversaries met back together as a group. When the moon revealed itself from the clouds…

There was no warning as she charged. With that, she sliced through the ranks. And as Energon was spilt onto her frame, the remaining targets fell into pieces. This attack, _Zantetsuken, _was one of the deadliest of melee attack moves. She was satisfied that she hasn't lost her touch. However, like Wipeout before, she was slightly disappointed for the lack of challenge.

The area wavered as it shut down back into normal reality. Slowly she mused herself over the series of events that has happened so far. That is, until she heard a noise. "It's okay. It's not like I'll pluck out your optics and digest them," And that's when Aura came into view. "Umm… I'm sorry. It's just that I thought you were quite amazing in the simulator. And I guess the rumours are true. You truly are amazing,"

"Why thank you. I'm just as impressed that my own skills haven't waned over the last million stellar-cycles. Why, I guess even at only forty percent of my full strength a entire battalion of Decepticons or Predacons wouldn't stop me even though their commander had the everything but the most skilled planning," A glint came from her haughty grin after she said that.

Aura couldn't help but be reminded of Megatron's own arrogance. "I don't think I remember you to be a little arrogant the first time we met," she thought out loud.

"Don't change the subject. Anyway, what do you want to see me for?" For a moment, Aura was struggling with her words on what to say. _What do I want to ask her? She… did kill my former mistress but… can I truly become stronger? _

"Don't worry. I can see through Cybertronians like you easily. I will be your master soon, hmm?"

"It probably wouldn't be easy to say, Bladestriker. But I just wanted to ask you this. Ever since I returned to the Maximals and Autobots, I wanted to be a more capable warrior than I am now. In the last few days I have been training with fellow Autobots like Scavenger, Wipeout, Smokescreen, Hotshot and all, but somehow, it seems like I wanted something more. Something in which I wanted to be a more capable soldier. However, that is not why I am here. I want to ask you: Could it be possible for me to learn any martial arts techniques without spilling lives?"

For a few seconds, all was still after the phoenix asked that question, and Bladestriker's optics dimmed. Instantly, her optics suddenly narrowed, and her childlike tone hissed out. "And your point being?"

The Maximal recoiled in shock. "My point…" She suddenly flushed out, retorting, "is that I want to find a way to protect lives without unnecessary bloodshed! Surely, I may have shown courage in fight since a few days ago, but that doesn't mean I was able to play a role in helping the Autobots and Maximals gain a few Minicons or so! But at the same time, I want to help save many others who are weaker than I am in this war! This is why I wanted to be a much stronger warrior! Maybe I don't realise it at first, but isn't your fighting style meant to protect others? If it is, then please teach me, I beg of you!"

"Maybe you have a point, little one. The Jyuuyoso Eien Mitsurugi Ryu was designed to protect the weak and the helpless from national fear and tyranny, making it useful for this Cybertronian war, and making it one of the most legendary martial art styles, other than Metallikato. But a warrior capable enough to wield it is required to have no loyalties. Ironic, isn't it? But soon after many stellar-cycles, for my final mission, I encountered the one they call BlackArachnia. It was interesting enough on how she was the first one brave enough to ask for a dying wish, to look after you when you returned to the Maximals. Even though you helped me escape, I started to sense potential, a way of helping people. But how did I see you? You were locked between the choice of not willing to fight and to help others without means of fighting or killing!"

"B-but…"

"This would be the only time I tell you this. A sword is a weapon. Kenjutsu, or swordsmanship is the art of killing. No matter what flowery words you use, this is its true nature. Your own foolish ideals, or today's harsh realities - whatever you're trying to protect, is complete selfishness. Considering you didn't want to fight, the result was the scars in your own mental state, inflicted by that megalomaniac Megatron. You truly have become unstable. Violence begets violence in a brutal circle of terror. This may not have been heard much, but you were correct, the sword style I used was meant to protect others. As a free sword however, it is not one a vagabond would use to its full potential," She turned away, her cloak mode reverting itself, while Aura stood, still stunned. "It would be a waste of my time to teach someone like you how to fight,"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" screamed a voice, as Sunstreaker stormed in, followed by an equally shocked Tomoyo. "I doubt you knew much about Aura at all since her departure, but this is going too far!"

Tomoyo nodded in agreement after she got out of her shocked state. "She may not be the fighter is was now, but maybe with a little training, she'll be a much stronger warrior, I assure you," At that moment, Optimus came in, along with Sparkplug and Windchaser. "What's going on here, ladies?"

(Why don't you ask Mrs. Sunshine here?) growled Sunstreaker, her thumb indicating Bladestriker. There was a silent sigh from the assassin. "This is really like Maccadams Old Oil House here. Gatecrashers should know when they're not invited," It took practically all of Sunstreaker's circuitry not to snap completely under pressure. She calmly turned to the Maximal. "Aura, go and get some Energon cubes from the storage room if there is any here. We can't expect our guests to go without food or drink first,"

"But could you ask me why…"

"When I said Energon, I said Energon. Or do you want to go on a stroll with your boyfriend Hotshot?"

"Master, that's none…"

"That's the spirit. Don't rest your servos on this, go,"

"You're not one for social events are you?" sighed Aura as she walked off, Windchaser following her. When she disappeared out of the training centre that was when Bladestriker turned to Optimus and the group. "So then. I don't know what you see in that blockhead, but it sounds like the little one is getting to be quite popular,"

Sunstreaker snapped again. "What do you mean, blockhead? You only know Aura as a common soldier, but inside, there was a part of her you haven't seen before,"

"Alright then. Tell me,"

(Tell you what, Bladestriker?) asked Sparkplug sceptically.

"All I'm saying is that ever since I joined the Autobots I haven't been gaining much news about Aura. All I know was that she was tortured badly after my escape. I want to hear the news, not from herself, but from Optimus and the people I don't know,"

Optimus sat down on a nearby chair in the room, while Tomoyo and the two Minicons also found their places on the floor. "If you were willing to listen Bladestriker, then you'll listen to what is there to know about Aura. I also agree that she isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but there are other attributes that make up for it,"

With that, Bladestriker drew a deep breath and also sat down, her cloak shifting again. "Tell me all there is to know…"

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The storage room door opened as Aura and Windchaser entered to collect the Energon Cubes necessary. Whatever was there was right in front of her optics. Grabbing a nearby trolley, she collected what would be enough to carry for the group at the training room. However, there were other things in her mind.

"Windchaser," she began as the two warriors started heading back. "You don't think I'm a liability here do you?"

(Not that I know of. You spark may be at its early stage so far, but you have been a valuable asset to us. It will slowly, but surely mature. I don't think you're dragging us down.)

"Then why did Bladestriker thought it would be a waste of time teaching me? What's her story other than her dark past?"

The lithe Minicon hopped onto the trolley for the ride. (She's not your run-of-the-mill Autobot. Don't be discouraged, child. She may be like that, but for all I know, she's one to show honour. In this case, once you get past her cold and calculating demeanour, she'll be okay as a martial arts master, I promise you. Only a few of the Autobots, Maximals and even Minicons were able to get close to finding out. But even so, she's still like an ice queen, although not all of her elements are entirely icy. Though I guess there are still things that also intrigue me more about her.)

"Well… I hope you're right," replied the Maximal female, as they made their way past the warp gate. As they did, they suddenly heard an argument going on.

"Blurr. How come you keep blowing everybody off?" demanded the first voice, in which Aura had no trouble recognising.

"I don't know what's you're talking about," snapped the second voice, which was coming from the silver sports car.

"What are ya, anti-social or something?"

"How 'bout you just back off and let me do my work,"

"How 'bout you fight for some other cause, because personally, I want a teammate who I at least like," came Hotshot's voice again as both Aura and Windchaser both listened on.

The sniper casually turned his head in Hotshot's direction. "I'm not here to make friends. All I'm looking for is bots I can trust in battle. That's enough for me," With that, he walked off without a word. For a moment, Hotshot was thinking of retorting back but dismissed it from his mainframe. "Well, man. What's up with him?" Unbeknownst to him, Aura thought this reminded her of Bladestriker's lecture. After Blurr left, she quietly stepped out from the corner. "He's not exactly friendly, is he?" she asked.

"Gimme a break, Aura, you got your answer already,"

"So I have. Although I don't think your attempt to strike up a friendship was a bad as when I met Bladestriker, though," replied the phoenix as she sat down. "You're kidding me. Even after she nearly decapitated you, you actually got the sense to see her?"

"I'm aware of it. It's just… not that I disliked training with you or anything, but… I wanted to be a much stronger warrior. However, at the same time, I'm still locked between the choices again. It's irritating, and not only that, after I told Bladestriker my story, she dismissed the decision to train me,"

"Hold on a minute, Aura. You wanted Bladestriker to train you? Man, that's the biggest load of crud I heard in a day!"

Aura was slightly offended, but hid it very well. "I haven't explained the reason why I was to be trained. Remember the story I told you before?"

"How could I forget?" replied Hotshot. "You did mention something about BlackArachnia assigning an assassin to train you… what a minute… you mean that psycho is her?"

She nodded. "It may sound insane to you. This battle could only become more difficult, even with our increased numbers. Call me selfish or anything, but still – bloodshed is the last thing on my mind when we're fighting,"

(You trying to be a hero or something, Aura?) asked Jolt as he hopped onto Hotshot's shoulder. (It almost sounds like you're trying to put the world on your shoulders or something. There is no 'I' in team you know.)

(Jolt, she cares more about the others than herself, even though she wants to be a much stronger Maximal. The desire to protect others would be considered a good thing, and that's what makes her different from the Predacons. The fact is, compassion may be an attribute that Predacons and Decepticons hate, and sometimes it may be a weakness, but most of the Autobots and Maximals share her ideals. I could only guess that training with Bladestriker would be a way for her to gain self-confidence.) concluded Windchaser. She then turned to both Aura and Hotshot. (Warriors like Blurr and Bladestriker may be cold and calculating in a peaceful side like the Autobots, but they have a way of completing a mission, putting everything except compassion on the line as long as it helps them achieve their goals. You'll never know on the outside, but they might have a hint of compassion in them. Even so, this is what makes them what they are. All beings are unique. Sooner or later, they'd probably accept you both as comrades after we cut a bit of slack.)

"Well… you've got to hope so," Aura nodded in agreement. "What do you think, Hotshot?"

"I'm still not sure. But I suppose it might work," came the reply, as their conversion was overheard by Red Alert and Smokescreen.

"So what's up with Blurr and Bladestriker anyway?" asked the crane as he and Red Alert just managed to finish the repairs to the warpgate. "These things take time, Smokescreen. Once you get past the cold shoulder, they'll probably be decent comrades," replied the medic, as he went off to the control room to monitor the next Minicon sighting.

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Somewhere in another area, in another part of America, there was a rocky landmark that stood over in the middle of a wasteland. Nearby, overlooking the ledge, there was also a sighting of an abandoned raceway that wasn't used for years. The cause of the damage was simple - most of the crevasses seen in the middle of the track were caused by a series of earthquakes that affected it, making no longer usable to the public. With the wind blowing dust around, it lay in a sad state, an embodiment of a once-promising entertainment centre. Nothing much happened here, except the occasional graffiti decorated around the buildings.

But things were about to change, as a stray boulder somehow separated from the ledge as a result of a minor explosion. As it bounded down the slope, it finally cracked in pieces, revealing a golden object. It was more than that; it was a gold Minicon panel. With a sudden glow, its grey occupant was revealed.

Downshift landed on his two feet as he surfaced from the panel. Like the other Minicons, it has only been a million years since he departed Cybertron as a result of the Great War. However, unlike the others so far, he was one of the few to somehow reactivate on their own.

(Where am I?)

He looked around the surroundings. Nothing but rock and grass as far as he noticed. There wasn't exactly a place in which he could do on his own, to settle his own boredom and curiosity at the same time. That is, until he sighted something.

His optics came to rest on the abandoned raceway.

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"Megatron!" shouted Demolishor as the alarm rang throughout the moonbase once again. "We've detected another Minicon signal!"

The Decepticon leader's voice came out in a growl. "We must recover it before the Autobots and Maximals do. Demolishor, I will not stand for another error,"

"No, sir, of course not. I'll be extra careful this time,"

"Move out, soldiers!" And as the rest of the Decepticons and Predacons prepared to make their departure, Megatron could have sworn he noticed two faint glows in his presence. As quickly as he turned around, he shrugged as he made his way to the warpgate. "… I must be imagining things…"

Inside the containment box, the two golden panels continued to glow.

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Downshift's mood was a mix between interest and amusement. Of all of the locations most of the Minicons were found in so far, he was right near the raceway. This suited him just fine for all he cared about. It brought back many memories long ago, both good and bad. A racing champion among the Minicons, he was once an arrogant competitor who was a bit of a sore loser – he could not stand the thought of anybody beating him in a race. He was slightly bothered by it, but since of the war, he became a solid and confident soldier in the Minicon ranks. Fewer mechanoids, like Incinerator, were able to defeat him anyway. Still, after being cooped up inside the panel for so long, he decided to loosen his joints a bit and go for a drive.

Transforming into a small racecar, he proceeded into killing off some time. However, he hardly got about ten metres when the six Decepticons and two Predacons appeared on the track. Currently, Blackout, Demolishor's Minicon partner, hopped onto his larger companion's shoulder.

"Blackout, the Minicon is somewhere nearby," ordered the tank Decepticon as his partner began to perform the scan. He did not scan for long however as a small racecar stopped in front of the cohort. "That what you've looking for?" asked Shatterbelt as he lazily indicated the little mechanoid.

A look of intrigue crossed over onto Megatron's face. "It must've revived and transformed already. Is it the final Minicon to the Skyboom shield?"

But no sooner as the Decepticon said that, the Minicon quickly revved up, and darted around the Decepticons and Predacons' legs. With no other choice, he had to lead the Decepticons on a little game of chicken.

"After him, you fools! Don't let him get away!" shouted Megatron as the warriors snapped into action. Quickly, Starscream, Cyclonus, Sideways, and Waspinator took off in hot pursuit, transforming into their respective vehicle modes. All around him, Downshift realised he was in a race for his life. The battle only just started when Laserbeak was flying overhead, transmitting the images seen on the abandoned raceway. (No sign of the Minicon… what the… Rad, look!) He only had time to reply as the rest of the Autobots and Maximals arrived at the scene.

In the control room, Rad only just managed to see what was going on when he let out a cry of alarm. "What is it Laserbeak? Oh no!"

"Too late!" added Carlos. "It's the Decepticons and Predacons!"

"They're here too?!" demanded Optimus as he and his men transformed on arrival. Once they entered the raceway Rad gave out the current situation on the playing field. "Optimus, there's two Minicons headed your way. Check out the visuals from Laserbeak,"

"Roger that, Rad. Transmit them anytime," As they surveyed the damage round the field, Scavenger made an observation. "This track may have been abandoned since a few months ago but now with the Decepticons and Predacons on the scene there's twice the crevasses than before,"

"You think?" asked Bladestriker sarcastically without emotion as Optimus called out his orders. "Listen up. We have to do everything we can to save those Minicons!"

The cries of "Yes sir!", "Roger that!" and one lone "Yes Prime," filled the air. As the two Minicons (Downshift with Swindle in pursuit) came within sighting, the Autobot leader also gave out another order. "Blurr, Hot Shot, concentrate on rescuing the Minicons. The rest of you, back them up,"

The latter of the team were willing to comply. Inside Hotshot's mainframe however, he felt a bit uneasy. _Aw, just my luck… _However, Blurr was chuckling silently to himself. Despite Cyclonus cackling once again, he was able to dodge the firepower unleashed by the Autobots and Maximals. Sideways however, wasn't as lucky as he was sent flying by a shot from Scavenger's Dozer Cannon. This gave Hotshot and Blurr the chance to catch both Minicons, however, Downshift was able to slip out of Hotshot's grasp. "No way, stay with me!"

But the Race Team Minicon did not want to get captured, one-way or the other. As a result, Hotshot had no other choice but pursue him in vehicle mode. Seeing this, Blurr decided to do his own way. "Take care of this one," he ordered, tossing the red Formula 1 racer Minicon to Red Alert, who nodded with approval. "GROUND MODE – TRANSFORM!" He transformed into vehicle mode once again, with Incinerator in front of him.

Swindle however, was beeping a message even though he was captured. Seconds later, Starscream fired a volley of shots once again, rescuing and powerlinking with his partner in the process.

"No surprise that Minicons like him were like lap dogs to the Decepticons," growled Tusklaw as he and Red Alert watched the jet fly away. "Are you sure meditation was all what you've been doing, Tusklaw?" asked the medic with his optic slightly raised. But he didn't get an answer as familiar evil laughter sounded over the other side of the ravine. And that was from Megatron, with Tarantulas, Demolishor and Shatterbelt flanking him. "Once again, we will take the Minicons from your grasp!"

Aura's face flaunted with irritation. "Is this the umpteenth time he said this?" she muttered under her breath, as Optimus shouted, "We'll just see about that!"

"Haha. Impertinent fool. Do you honestly think you can withstand me, the wielder of the Star Sabre?"

With a quick glance, Optimus turned to the rest of his warriors. "Wipeout, Smokescreen, Aura, and Bladestriker, help Hotshot and Blurr,"

"We've on it," came the reply, as the four warriors transformed into their vehicle modes, sans Aura who converted to her beast mode. In a few seconds time, Optimus' group were now engaged in a fierce battle against Megatron, Demolishor and Shatterbelt, while Tarantulas decided to go into stealth mode once more.

Unbeknownst to the combatants, something was watching them…

Along the racetrack now, Hotshot was trying to catch up to the Minicon. However, since Blurr managed to catch up, this was when the squabbling began. And Hotshot was more than irritated as the silver sports car started shoving him on the side. "Out of my way! Let me handle this. Hello! A little response once in a while would be nice. Hey! What're you doing?" But Blurr didn't seem to take any notice, as the kids continued watching the scene via Laserbeak.

"They're supposed to be after the Minicons, not each other," groaned Rad.

"Must be some kind of bot testosterone thing," suggested Billy, who was watching on. Carlos also added, "They're definitely trying to outdo each other,"

"At this rate, they could jeopardise the whole mission if they continue acting like that," objected Tomoyo, "It's annoying!"

"You're right, but it's more stupid than annoying," added Alexis, "They're supposed to be working as a team,"

"Yeah, but this is kind of cool too," blurted out Billy, as by now, as the Decepticon and Predacon flyers were closing in, in addition to Sideways. By now, Wipeout and Aura took to the skies.

"If you want easy pickings Aura, try Waspinator. But with Starscream and Cyclonus in the scene, Bladestriker and I will handle them,"

"I'll take your orders when Nostradamus' prediction comes true," snapped the assassin, as she slammed Sideways in front of Hotshot and Blurr in order to disrupt their jostling. Seconds later, both Hotshot and Blurr were now cursing out at Bladestriker in anger, while Sideways and his Minicon partners, Crosswise and Rook, lay in stasis lock. This caused Aura's phoenix face to flaunt.

"Is she always like this when it comes to comrades, Wipeout?"

"Trust me. I may not have been in the Autobots as much as Hotshot, but her antics are even enough to make Blurr sigh. But less talk more action. Here comes Screamer and co. now!" Automatically, he began to engage Cyclonus in an aerial shootout while Starscream and Waspinator targeted Aura. Cyclonus' mug was all ready smirking with anticipation. "Ready or not, here I come, copycat! CRUMPLEZONE – POWERLINK!" With that, the blue tank transformed into the nosecone and powerlinked with his trigger-happy partner. But within Wipeout's systems, he was also smirking with preparation. Over in the other direction…

"Waspinator suffered humiliation by bird-bot… now Waspinator humiliate you!" With that, he let loose his round of shots. However, Aura wasn't going to let him have the chance as she darted around the shots. At the same time, Smokescreen got the wasp in his sights.

"Gotcha. Let's blow that puppy out of the sky! LIFTOR - POWERLINK!" The small futuristic forklift Minicon powerlinked onto the crane arm as the Long-Arm Cannon activated, revealing an artillery barrel. "Now's the time to show me what you can do, Long-arm!" he shouted, firing a shot that detonated one of Waspinator's missiles, which was about to fire. A second later, the unlucky Predacon was sent spiralling down to Earth. "That's one for one, partner!"

"All right Smokescreen!" cheered Fred as he watched on with the other kids. "Don't count your chickens left, cause it isn't over yet!" Carlos noted, as the action still took place.

"What a idiot. But that doesn't mean you could take me down this easily!" screamed Starscream as he began attacking at full force. Even when transforming into jet mode, Aura was slowly having trouble dodging her aggressive opponent. "Have you landed on your head or something? What happened to your power from before? C'mon, fight back you wimp!"

"I'll be more than enough to take you down!" retorted Aura confidently, as the one-on-one dogfight continued. No matter how she went, her opponent was slowly gaining the upper hand, but her somewhat-trained manoeuvring skills and speed made up for it, which included the barrel rolling and break turns. But with Swindle powerlinked to Starscream, things were getting more difficult as the Decepticon second-in-command pegged a few hits. And the next mode started with the jet firing his lasers first, causing the Phoenix-Concorde veer off at the last minute. However, this was what Starscream wanted as he fired his Null Laser Cannons, not at her, but at Smokescreen.

"This is unfair! Smokescreen, get out of here!" cried Aura, as her comrade began running for his life. He had just barely made it out of range when the resulting blast sent him flying. But she was wide open as Starscream fired his cannons again. A transformed Wipeout was only able to knock a transformed Cyclonus out of the way when he noticed the blast. "Aura!"

"Do you like your chicken southern-styled or fried to a crisp?" cackled Cyclonus, who fired just as Wipeout managed to activate his rotor shield in time. For a moment, it looked like the phoenix was done for. But when the smoke cleared… Starscream couldn't believe it. "Aura's okay?!" he shrieked after he transformed to robot mode. "That bitch is more than okay!" The reason was that Aura was powerlinked with Windchaser in the nick of time, her wings now glowing while in robot mode. "What was that?" asked Aura.

(That, dear Aura, was a Particle Nullifier. But that's not the only weapon I've activated.) At Windchaser's words, components in her wings whirled. When they did, the wings opened up slightly, releasing what looked like a pair of four-barrelled missile pods as first glance, along with a circular optical lens on the tip of each wing. Interestingly enough, a targeting display screen automatically appeared in front of her as well. When she calmed herself down, she decided to give it a go.

"Setting target signature… Starscream. Weapons at ready… POSITRON PULSE!" At her words, her weapons fired full on, including the lens, which fired an Electromagnetic Pulse. However, since Starscream noticed the preparation time, he quickly countered with the Null Laser Cannons. Although his weapon was slightly stronger than Aura's, he had enough. "Nice fireworks display, but that wasn't what I came here for! TRANSFORM!" Converting to jet mode, he resumed into pursuing Downshift, who was still chased by Hotshot and Blurr.

"Not on your life, Screamer!" shouted Wipeout, as he quickly foot-swept Cyclonus and grabbed him by the right leg. Swinging him multiple times, he sent the helicopter Decepticon flying into Starscream, knocking the jet into stasis lock. When that was done, he flew over to Smokescreen to check his status.

"I guess that's about it for now. Now for the Minicon… GAHH!" Aura was about to go after Downshift when suddenly, she was shot down to Earth by a multiple laser barrage. Crashing down, she coughed up dust from her systems, only to find herself trapped when a figure lifted by her head.

"Focusing on one foe could put you off guard, chicken," sneered Tarantulas as he materialised. And to make things even worse, he was powerlinked to Bombshell too. "But I have to admit, you have been more than just an annoyance to us. It doesn't matter. Now that my latest invention worked on Megatron, you'll be the first Maximal to take a dose,"

A mid-second later, the phoenix's optics widened as she saw what that object was. "It couldn't be… the Energon Discharge Virus?!"

"Correct," His sneer escaped from his arachnid mouth as he prepared to shove the virus down Aura's throat. That is, until…

His torso was sliced cleanly off his legs, and Aura was able to wrench her head free just as the spider burst into flames. When she looked up, an uncloaked Bladestriker was standing over the two pieces of the Predacon scientist.

"It seems I've arrived in the nick of time. Wouldn't Megatron be pleased at salvaging Tarantulas' pieces,"

Even though Tarantulas was a Predacon, Aura couldn't help but ask, "You didn't exactly terminate him, did you?"

"Right now… that wouldn't be a good time to talk," At that moment, Aura realised she didn't need to know as she immediately transformed into phoenix mode, despite the damage Tarantulas inflicted on her. With a call of, "BLADESTRIKER – OVERDRIVE," the sports car followed after her in vehicle mode as they began pursuing the Race Team Minicon.

However, a flashback came into Bladestriker's mainframe…

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_Flashback begins… _

"So… let me get this straight. In the last few weeks, Aura has been of help, has she?"

"Like we wanted to tell you before, yes," replied Sunstreaker. "Heck, she was even able to take out the entire Decepticon and Predacon army by herself when she first awoken. But somehow, she didn't seem to show it right away. It seems… rather uncanny,"

A thoughtful look crossed over Optimus's face. "It could be because she has a hidden power and fighting capabilities none of us are aware of. Since she's still young, she probably just managed to discover them within. But what interests me was that even she didn't know it until now, since Windchaser told her upon awakening. All that Aura wanted to do with that power was to help others, but at the same time, give her the strength she needs to overcome her fears,"

Tomoyo also decided to voice her views. "Shishou, she may not have much experience in fighting, of course. I wish I could also be as talented at technical stuff as she was, but I'm not her. Plus, she was more than willing to put her own heart, spark, or whatever on the line just to save a life,"

(Plus, she has been of great help at Autobot/Maximal HQ as well, upgrading security and all.) Finished Sparkplug.

"Which is why you asked me for help, correct?" inquired the assassin, still musing over the events. "But would her goals be to become stronger, or to protect others?"

"It would be both, Bladestriker. Try cutting a bit of slack on her, and maybe she would be a good student. It would be good of her to have a variety of instructors to guide her," suggested Optimus.

"I do not intend on passing down the Jyuuyoso Eien Mitsurugi Ryu to others who would use it a tool for conquering Cybertron, however, with her, I will make an exception. But I will teach her some of the techniques and fighting skills necessary, though I wouldn't guarantee training would be easy. Jetfire usually selects a variety of men suitable for a mission, doesn't he?"

"That would be the case," came the leader's reply.

"Then I'll teach her things worth knowing for an Autobot or Maximal then," she concluded.

_Flashback ends… _

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"JOLT – POWERLINK!" commanded Hotshot as he raced towards the ravine. The small red helicopter immediately deposited the engine onto his partner's hood, and also linked up to his rear spoiler. When that was done, the two soared over the cliff in pursuit of Downshift, who crossed over earlier on in robot mode.

Blurr wasn't going to let his comrade mess up the mission however. "INCINERATOR – POWERLINK!" he also shouted, as the blue dragster Minicon also powerlinked with his partner. This time, the sides of his vehicle mode transformed into wings, forming his Flight-Attack mode. Boosted by small vortexes of fire, he immediately flew over the ravine, and landed in front of Downshift and a surprised Hotshot. He then proceeded into performing a series of donuts, causing not only dust to fly, but also send Downshift into the grandstand in the process. At the same time, Aura and Bladestriker arrived at the scene, transforming into robot mode. "What the?" asked Aura in wonder. Even Cyclonus decided to withdraw from the mini-dust tornado.

As Blurr quickly transformed, Hotshot also did the same as he angrily saw what Blurr did just now. "You idiot! You almost trashed that Minicon!"

"I hardly think so," the sniper said quite sourly as he headed towards the grandstand.

"You hardly think," growled the youngster, but Blurr interrupted him again as Downshift climbed up to the highest row of seats. "This isn't time for bickering. Our top priority right now is capturing that Minicon,"

A frown crossed over Hotshot's face. "Capturing's a little harsh, don't you think?" he asked, as he attempted to try the passive approach. "C'mere little guy. I won't hurt you," However, he didn't get far as his foot went right though the fragile seats as they were nothing more than toothpicks. Scowling, Blurr aimed his rifle at the Minicon and firing a shot. "What are you trying to do?!"

"I'm trying to seize the Minicon, you fool,"

"This isn't how we're meant to save Minicons!" cried Aura, but it was too late as Blurr fired full on, some shots randomly missing and hitting the Minicon. "You psycho!" shouted Hotshot as he helplessly watch the shots fly. Suddenly, the stairs broke underneath Downshift, and he became to fall.

"No!" As fast as his legs could carry him, he smashed his way through the stairs under the grandstand. He only just managed to make it in time to catch the falling Minicon, diving in the process. As soon as he did, the Minicon beeped with concern. (Y-you saved me…)

Blurr and Aura just managed to arrive at Hotshot's location. Surprisingly, Blurr's expression changed to wonder when he saw the result of Hotshot's actions. "I... don't understand. Why did you risk your life to save him?"

"I think I know why," piped in Aura. "He did that because he embodies compassion as one of our most important ideals. To kind of telling you the truth, if I were in Hotshot's situation, I would have done the same. It's just like Windchaser said – all beings are unique. That's the reason why Hotshot would risk his life to save Downshift,"

Suddenly, there was the unmistakable sound of helicopter blades. "Don't mind if I do!" cackled Cyclonus, as without warning, he snatched Downshift from Hotshot's grasp before the shocked youngster could think of what to do. "Aww no!"

"Aww yes! Another one for us! Losers!" but he didn't go far as he heard the sound of rapid footsteps. He couldn't see who the mech was, but somehow, it sounded familiar. "Over here,"

Suddenly, the helicopter Decepticon felt his spine chill. Too late, he recognised who the warrior was. As Bladestriker shifted from her air-elemental based form, he instantly screamed. Seconds later, he crash-landed to the ground, his cockpit filled with nine lethal, four-foot long spikes in his circuits like spears. When Bladestriker landed, her triple barrelled rifle was smoking, and not only empty slugs were on the ground, Downshift was lucky to be alive.

When the remaining three warriors watched the gruesome scene, Aura and Hotshot quickly turned away, disgusted at the sight. Only Blurr came up. "Comes to show that the overconfident would be eating their own words, right?"

"It was only a light shot. Cyclonus wouldn't be terminated yet… he'll be more than willing to feel more pain until he's doomed to die,"

Aura only managed to finish hyperventilating before meeting up with Bladestriker. "How… horrible… that was harsh," Hotshot however, wasn't without concern. "How is Downshift?"

"He's okay," answered the assassin. "Now all we have to do is head back… watch out!" Suddenly, the others whirled around. But the warning came too late as suddenly; a high-pitched scream rang throughout the grandstand. Somehow, wherever it came from, it was making everybody within the vicinity collapse. Even Downshift covered his head in pain.

"W-what is this!?" screamed Aura holding her throbbing head in pain, "IT HURTS! TOO MUCH!"

"IT FEELS MY CIRCUITS ARE GOING TO MALFUNCTION!" added Hotshot, and Blurr even agreed. "NO KIDDING! THIS PITCH MUST BE UP TO 250 DECIBELS! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Just as his words left his mouth, the sound suddenly stopped. Aura's head was still throbbing quite badly. "Thank goodness, anymore of this and I would have gone into stasis lock, right… oh no… Bladestriker!"

Instantly, Hotshot and Blurr turned towards the source of her troubles. They also gasped out in both surprise and shock. Somehow, not only Bladestriker had already switched to stasis lock, ever her normally emotionless face was twisted into pain. The two warriors headed up to her still body. "How the heck she got herself knocked out like that? I thought someone like her is unstoppable!" yelled Hotshot in surprise.

"Even the strongest have to have weakness, even Optimus Prime. And Bladestriker is no different. Normally, her keen senses allow her to possibly predict her opponents. That even includes her super-sensitive hearing,"

(In other words,) added Windchaser, who disengaged from the winged Maximal. (Her hearing is like a mixed blessing. It can either be strength or a weakness. And of all the others, she's the most vulnerable to sound-based attacks like that.)

(That's not all I'm worried about! Where's Downshift?) As Hotshot whirled around as a result from Incinerator's question, he noticed that Blurr looked quite tense. "What's with you, Blurr?" The sniper however, was pointing out a fading object that was carrying the Minicon in the distance. At first, Hotshot thought he was seeing things as a result from that scream. However, there was no doubt about it; the flying object was shaped like a bird, but it wasn't Laserbeak. At that moment, Blurr's optics instantly narrowed in suspicion, just as Wipeout and Smokescreen arrived.

"If Spystreak and possibly Frenzy was here… then he's also here too…"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Blurr was correct: That flying object was indeed Spystreak. The small, mechanical condor-like robot quickly flew towards the air, carrying its slightly larger load with little difficulty. He was obviously pleased with himself, knowing that he managed to obtain the Minicon while the enemy was distracted by the sonic scream. Not only that, if Downshift was out of stasis lock right now, he could have proven this flight more difficult.

The tiny bird-robot scanned around until he found was he was looking for. He saw Megatron currently engaged in a battle against a few of the Autobots and a single Maximal. Spystreak knew that his leader would not last as long as his opponent kept him under fire. Skilfully dodging enemy fire, he deposited the Minicon into Megatron's hands.

"What's this?" asked the Decepticon leader curiously, as the bird landed on his shoulder. "Well I'll be… well done, Spystreak! Now the Skyboom Shield will be all mine,"

"What?" asked Optimus, as soon as he heard the words Megatron said. Now things had turned grim. "I hope I just heard him wrong," added Scavenger grimly. But it was too late as they realised that the Decepticons and Predacons have succeeded in seizing the final piece of the Skyboom Shield. This just wasn't a good day.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A short time later at the base, it was practically gloomy around the base. But it looks like the Autobots and Maximals were not only affected by the loss. Somehow, while watching the visuals from Laserbeak, it seems that the kids were affected by the sonic scream as well, along with their Minicons. More bad news struck them because not only Bladestriker had to go to the CR Chamber for recovery, Laserbeak also had to be fixed as well because he was somehow shot down by an unknown warrior as well. Despite all this, it wasn't too disappointing.

However for others, it was humiliating. Hotshot was especially dejected over the loss. Aura also was worried not only about the loss of the Minicon, but her concerns also focused on Bladestriker as well. And there was a hint of annoyance around the kids too.

"Hey, what did you think you and Blurr were doing? Fighting each other on your own side," growled Carlos, despite seeing that Blurr wasn't here at the moment. Hotshot however, was miserable as he even thought this loss was his own fault.

"Sorry. I guess we lost our heads back there," But Aura placed her hand on her comrade's shoulder. "It's okay. We can always try to get the Skyboom Shield back. We all fought our hardest, but as Jolt said, there's no need to put the world on your own shoulders. Cooperation is needed though,"

Rad's arms were crossed as he looked up at the two youngsters. "I'm not saying you should feel the same way about Blurr as you do with Red Alert or Optimus, but at least you two have got to work with each other,"

"How are you supposed to get anywhere if you don't even trust one of your partners?" demanded Alexis. "Speaking of partners, where is Blurr anyway?"

"There's no need on blaming him too," finished Hotshot. "I'll go find him," With that, he left the room. Aura also decided to follow, but not without saying, "I'll also check to see how Laserbeak is going too. Hopefully, he'll be alright too, so don't get too depressed,"

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"So in the end, we wind up losing the final piece of the Skyboom Shield. It makes me wonder what the slag Megatron will do with it next,"

"To you maybe, but it probably wasn't all a complete failure," Aura said lightly-heartedly as they walked through the hallway with Jolt and Windchaser. "At least we got more Minicons than before,"

Hotshot was still feeling down. "How could you be a little positive at a time like this? You heard what Optimus said about the Minicons: The side who gains the most wins the war. With the two Minicon weapons in Megatron's hands, it's only…"

"Hey," interrupted the phoenix gently. "I'm just in the down as you, Hotshot. About Bladestriker and the others, I'm worried as well. Bladestriker may not be the nicest of all bots, but still, she's a fellow Autobot, like us. The least we could do is to get our optics peeled on what happens next," When they came towards a fork in the hallway, this was when they went their separate directions. "So where are you going, Aura?" asked Hotshot upon arrival.

"I'm going to see how Bladestriker's going at the moment. At the same time, maybe I could go onto the simulator as well. If you're seeing Blurr and maybe Incinerator, can you give my regards to him as well as Windchaser's too?"

"I can do that. I trust you to do the same as well for Bladestriker, even though she's a bit cold-hearted herself?"

(You shouldn't say something like that, but we'll do it.) said Windchaser. "See you later, Hotshot," added Aura, as she gave the Autobot youngster a hug. He was still standing there blushing even though she left in the other direction. _She's cute… _

(What are you standing for? You did want to apologize to Blurr or something, right?) asked Jolt, snapping Hotshot out of his thoughts. This was when the youngster carried Jolt outside, when they saw Blurr sitting at the rocky ledge, staring out at the beautiful sunset. "Got a minute?" he asked as he came towards the spot, and also noticed a certain Minicon. "Hey Incinerator. Didn't see ya there," Jolt hopped of from his yellow partner as he sat down next to Incinerator.

The blue Autobot did not turn around, but his optics was of question. "Is there... something on your mind, Hotshot?"

"Sorry. I messed up bad today. It's my fault we lost the Minicon. It's just that... I didn't want you to have all of the glory. I guess my pride got in the way, and that's the reason I couldn't work with you. I'm not big on making the same mistake twice. I was… kind of annoyed at your actions but I don't want to blame you for that or there would be infighting. And next time, will be different. That's it. That's all I wanted to tell ya,"

"To be honest, I really appreciate it,"

"Well, see ya," finished Hotshot, as he turned to leave. However, Blurr wasn't finished yet. "I learnt a important lesson today,"

That caught the youngster and Jolt off-guard. "Huh? What do you mean?" (I'm not exactly hearing things, right?) added Jolt.

"I mean, about the Minicons. I'd always thought of them as mere tools; as objects in our struggle for power. But I was mistaken. I watched you risk your own safety to save their lives. You reminded me that... Minicons are our allies," He proceeded into lifting Incinerator onto his shoulder. "Incinerator, when I saw you in action today, I realized that I'm lucky to have you as my partner,"

_Now that's more like it, _thought Hotshot with a smile. (Was there anything else you found out, Blurr?) asked Jolt.

"And then there were the humans. Apparently, I know a lot about combat and nothing about what it means to work with others," he concluded.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say nothing," replied Hotshot, as he allowed Jolt to hop onto his shoulder as well. "But I'll give you a piece of advice. If there's anything I can ever help you out with, just let me know, 'kay? Oh, and Aura and Windchaser wanted to say 'hi' to you too,"

"Thanks,"

"Don't worry, the kids and I will have you up to speed in no time, along with the Minicons," smiled the youngster, as he had another thought in his mind. _This guy isn't so bad… _

Blurr was also chuckling, but this time, it was in a pleasant manner. (There's no 'I' in team, as I always say,) added Jolt. (We're more than willing to help.)

(If it involves using your abilities to help others, then I'm all ears.) replied Incinerator, beeping in reply. Watching from below, Scavenger and Optimus were both smiling at the scene. "I don't know how strong the Skyboom might be, Optimus. But it couldn't possibly put out more than those two," said the instructor.

"I'm sure you're right about that, Scavenger. Something tells me Hot Shot and Blurr will become great partners. I have a good feeling about it,"

(You got that right.) laughed Rollbar pleasantly, and Sparkplug beeped in agreement. Just then, the kids have shown up. "Hey, uh, anybody seen Hotshot?" asked Carlos with concern.

"Yes, he's over there, Carlos," replied the commander, as he pointed his finger out in the direction. Billy wasn't pleased at what he saw. "Uh oh. He's talking to Blurr," But a few seconds later, there was sounds of tapping fists.

"I hope they're not gonna start duking it out over that Minicon again," said Alexis worriedly, but a smiling Tomoyo disagreed, "This answer your question, A-chan?"

"Looks to me as they're getting along just fine," smiled Rad, as they watched the two robots touch fists one more time, with both Jolt and Incinerator doing the same.

"Friends?" asked Hotshot.

"Friends," finished Blurr, with a change of heart. Then they both started laughing, just as they saw the kids running up the slope to greet the four. Even though they lost the Minicon, they made many new friends and comrades.

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_The moon… _

Normally, all was quiet when it came to Earth's moon, with no wind or air generated around here. But this time, it was different. It hasn't been this quiet since of Tarantulas's sadistic experiment with the Discharge Virus. However, like gears in an electric motor, events have been set into motion…

As silent as a shadow, Spystreak was flying by, powered by anti-gravity generators, and rocket boosters. Inside his tiny frame, excitement swelled inside him, as he couldn't wait to tell what happened today. But to be civil, he had to have patience. Many Decepticon warriors describe him as civil and sophisticated but cruel and destructive. When he saw the form over the horizon, he immediately headed towards the source, just as the source spoke out aloud.

"Spystreak, report!"

The tiny bird-like Decepticon suddenly transformed, into an unusual form not seen by most beings. Upon arrival, it transformed into a yellow and black cassette tape, landing inside some sort of cavity. After he did, the door instantly closed. Audio receptors kicked in, and the information was slowly being processed.

The mysterious figure with the monotone voice listened with amusement as he heard the sound of beeping at first, which would be the sound of the Race Team being reunited. It suddenly changed to that of flashes, and also clicking as the unmistakable sounds of the new Minicon weapon, the Skyboom Shied, was born. It was then that there was suddenly a voice that the figure recognised.

"_Behold, the Skyboom shield! With this, we will truly be invincible. I can hardly wait to see Optimus' face!" _

Seconds later, the sound of laughter could be heard in the recording as a sign of victory. Just as the recording ended, the figure stood up. Covered by shadow, this box-like figure was quietly smiling without much emotion, and behind his faceplate. It has been a while since he saw his leader last. Now that he arrived, the time has come to rejoin him in the quest for obtaining the Minicons. But even though many others of his rank hated him, they probably could do with his help, since Bladestriker has arrived. _We will meet again… Megatron… _

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It has only been a few minutes since Aura and Windchaser came to visit the injured. So far, Smokescreen has been recovering well, thanks to the CR Chamber. Also with Bladestriker, she didn't suffer too much damage, and her hearing was nearly restored over sixty-seven percent. Laserbeak was almost repaired, as Red Alert was able to modify his armour a bit.

But now wasn't the time to think of what happened so far. This was because she was training by herself in the training room, utilising the virtual simulation program. In this program, she was involved in an aerial dogfight against her virtual Decepticon opponents, a swarm of them. She was able to shoot down a few of them, but so far, she was outnumbered. A few of her squadron were left standing, as they quickly made their way. In this mission, her target was a truck ship that was carrying a supply of weapons, and this level was L39.

But that was not her current desired level. So far, she was mainly in L35, so things were slightly difficult for her. Leading an army was never easy, and on top of that, there was also a boss protecting the ship. This isn't a cakewalk; she has to take the boss out without hindrance.

By the looks of her opponent, it was attempting to utilise a move that would give it the angle advantage. As quickly as she could she attempted to perform a series of moves to try to force the attacker on giving up the tactical advantage. But with her Scissors move, it wasn't going so well, as when it fired a powerful blast that sent her spiralling out of control. Seconds later, she crash-landed heavily, stomach down. _That wasn't how I planned it… _

But seconds later, it was too late for her as she was covered by a large shadow. _Oh no! _And it was too late as her opponent fired a headshot that ended the round with a Game Over.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked a voice as the virtual screen materialised into Autobot/Maximal HQ. When Aura turned around, she saw Bladestriker standing over near the doorway, her cloak covering her once again.

"I was just training," came the reply. "But I'm glad to see that you're alright. Where's Crackshot?"

"He's behind me. But that isn't what I'm here to talk about. Right now, the events have been shifting into motion. With the Skyboom Shield in Megatron's hands, the battle could only become more difficult as we speak. This could also mean that training at a slightly higher level then your current level in virtual reality simulation wouldn't do you too well at times,"

"What do you mean by that?"

While Crackshot and Windchaser began talking about the events, Bladestriker removed her faceplate. "When I was watching, I noticed you weren't fighting at your full capabilities. Also, when it comes to your Scissors manoeuvre, you were lacking the ability to think aggressively, in which aggressiveness makes the Scissors dangerous to your opponent. When I piloted a starfighter in one mission, I've seen many Decepticons and Predacons attempt to perform the Scissors on me, and gain advantage back to a neutral fight. Then those drones stupidly reverse a turn, and turn away from me - giving me back the advantage. You have to finish this off once he or she starts this,"

"Maybe I'll try… but I don't think it's easy for me to be aggressive in aerial combat. It was never my style to be aggressive, well… maybe except the bit when I first met Windchaser,"

"As I mentioned before, this war still stands, and the hunters have not yet tired. New traps are also set onto the battlefield. I myself, didn't expect to experience a sonic attack the second time…"

Aura's optics widened a bit. "Wait a second. You said second time, right? I thought for an assassin like you, you would have been able too…"

"Just because I experienced fighting doesn't mean I have mastered everything. Probably one of the reasons why I wound up suffering it was because I didn't expect the culprit responsible to show up. It's been a while since I experienced something like that, and I'm not going to fall victim for that again. Now that the battle would be getting much harder, I suggest a few lessons would be worthwhile, wouldn't it?"

This was totally unexpected for Aura when she heard that. "What? You thought I was a waste of time to you before, but why now? Does that mean I could learn the secrets of the Jyuuyoso Eien Mitsurugi Ryu after all?"

The black-clad assassin sat down once more, this time while downing a goblet of Energon. "With much convincing, Optimus, the human girl and the two Minicons told me of your doings. They also told me of your own hidden potential and power that you possess, something that you unleash during times of extreme stress and you own feelings. I can teach you a few techniques, but it would be essential to select your own weapon from now on, as it's important for members to be selected with a variety of talents when it comes to a mission, like your hacking skills. Now tell me this – they told me that you wanted me to teach you, so you could not only use the skills to become stronger, and to protect others at the same time, correct?"

"That's right," nodded the Maximal warrior, as she tried to slowly digest the number of events in her mainframe. When she was done, Bladestriker's expression did not change, but her optics was filled with a cold combination of anticipation and intrigue, while their Minicons watched on. "Once you're done with the training, you could nearly be as strong as myself. But don't be so sure of yourself, or be overconfident. This life would not be easy for you as we speak. And if you fail miserably or abuse the style's power – I will kill you," Her grin turned into a small smirk on her face, and her childlike voice slowly murmured, "No matter how strong we are, we are still young inside, as children of Primus. Primus probably has no need for violence, and preferred peace over it. And in other words… I will teach you all there is… to survive…"

New Autobots: Blurr and Bladestriker

New Decepticons: Spystreak

New Minicons: Incinerator, Crackshot, Downshift, and Skyboom Shield

**Autobot Identification **

Name: BLADESTRIKER  
Faction: AUTOBOT  
Alternate Form: Cybertronian McLaren F1 GT  
Minicon Partner: CRACKSHOT  
Function: High-Speed Combat/Stealth/Assassin  
Quote: "A place safer than even heaven - is in the depths of hell itself,"

Mysterious, sophisticated, patient, calm, and deadly. BLADESTRIKER is an AUTOBOT assassin and martial artist who fought in deadly missions for many years, fighting and overcoming many dangers in her path. She has witnessed many warriors who have won or lost throughout many battles, and was gifted with excellent stealth, hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship skills, as her name indicates. The trouble is however, you would have never known what she was thinking, and her sometimes cold and distrusting nature often led her into the ire of other AUTOBOTS and MAXIMALS. BLADESTRIKER also has an amazing ability to morph her physical density into any element, mineral, and terrain and fight within them so she can slice her enemies down with her twin katana blades, both Energon powered, enough to match even the power of the STAR SABRE. Without warning, she is one of the most feared AUTOBOT warriors yet, but is there more to her than meets the eye?

Strength - 8.0  
Intelligence - 9.5  
Speed - 10.0  
Endurance - 8.9  
Rank - 9.0  
Courage - 9.0  
Fireblast - 5.5  
Skill - 9.7

_To be continued… _

FG: Phew! Another few months have passed, and life hasn't been all that easy for me. Well I guess I could tell a few things, other that only a few months to go till I leave Year 12. Also, it's been a year since I went to Japan. I wonder how Yuuya-kun is…

And another thing: if you ever watched the anime, Noir, you may find a bit of deja vu about Bladestriker – initially, she came to my mind when I first saw the character Chloe in action. But to make her Aura's new master, I sort of combined a few manslayers in Rurouni Kenshin, and this is how she turns out! And since she was an assassin who never took sides once, I thought I'd also try something different for her vehicle activation code, having obtained it from Beast Machines. What do you think of her?

Now that's done, here's the Japanese glossary again. But this time, there are some martial arts techniques you find familiar… try guessing who uses these!

**Homuradama **– Fireball. Fire-based elemental attack, designed to cut and burn the enemy simultaneously.

**Shukuchi **– Reduced Earth. Mainly for speed, Bladestriker can move faster than the naked eye.

**Zantetsuken** – Slashing Steel Blade. A one-strike-one-kill deathblow technique, it can slice one or more enemies in half.

**Hitokiri **– Manslayer.

**Shishou **– A honourable term for a martial arts master.

**Gomen Nasai** – A way of saying, 'I'm sorry'.

This would probably be the first time I ever completed a chapter using an entire episode… probably my longest yet… (Hears sounds of rattling) What the heck's going on?

(A shimmer later, Bladestriker passes through the wall)

Bladestriker: A new method for smuggling has been deployed for the wilderness of Alaska.

FG: Oh? What's in the vessel?

(Blades points out to a reinforced coffin, and there was the sounds of, 'NNNNNNNOOOOOO! Let me out!'. Even Optimus Prime sweat drops…)

FG: (Sweat drops) Is this your way of training Aura? You sadistic wittle girl – how much mainframe damage can she handle?

Blades: If she can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. You can get back to work, if you like.

FG: Okay then. Oh yes. Originally I was going to name the Cassetticon warrior Buzzsaw but since there's a Minicon already named that, I just thought I'd name it a name from Beast Machines, now known as Spystreak. In any case, to those who never heard about Generation 1, you'll find out who's our mystery Decepticon. Till next time, Ja ne! Final Genesis, signing out!

P.S: Read and review!


	10. Sensei to Seito

Final Genesis: Argh, at long last I made it… (Suddenly screams in pain as Spystreak pulls his ear, then flies off) What was that for!

Bladestriker: He's trying to say that you're nearly eleven months late. Any reasons why?

FG: There are not only holidays, university (which was a bit of a pain at times), and I recently made a new Digimon fanfic! On top of that, there's the Asperger's Syndrome that I had since I was born, which affected my time management, and that things at Uni weren't going too good for me!

Bladestriker: Such as when you failed two subjects but the third, you got a distinction in Introduction to Japanese L1 for your first semester?

FG: RRRAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHH!

Aura: You certainly don't look so good, FG. What are you going to do now?

FG: Maybe just to continue with a subject I like, and then attempt to find an apprenticeship. All I could do right now is to update now and then, but who knows in this day and age.

Tarantulas: Yes, and if you live in the age of 'Weak, Meat; Strong, Eat', I'd suggest you'd be careful if I were you. By the way, I have to be off now. (Runs off-screen as Megatron chases Tarantulas for being used as a test subject yet again)

Now for the review replies… yeessss…

**Hex Power: **You haven't seen some of 'Striker's' training methods yet until you decide to read… but thanks anyways!

**Mattman65: **No, I didn't gain some of the techniques from Ranma ½ since I haven't watched many episodes yet – but I'll tell you the answer soon!

**Master Solo: **Already replied a few months ago… Hopefully, you can enjoy the latest chapter!

**DragonLady of Nerkila:** Thank you very much!

**Shadow of the Phantom: **Hopefully, this chapter would recharge your excitement! And thank you for the Presents!

**Flamestrike: **Maybe you might put me on Author Alert someday… but in the meantime, thanks for your compliments.

**Beastbot X: **Glad you decided to review, there shall be more bits of interest coming up soon…

**Storm Blue Lightning Saix: **I knew I shoulda updated earlier… but read and find out for yourself!

If you wanted to know where the techniques came from, I shall tell you now…

Homuradama was Shishio Makoto's move from Rurouni Kenshin. Also from that same series was Seta Sojirou's Shukuchi. The technique, Zantetsuken, I borrowed that from GF Odin from Final Fantasy 8. Apart from that, there are going to be a few more skills involved in this story.

Also, you may find I did some modifications so the story would with Armada's timeline in the multiple chapters before…

And for people who wanted to know some Japanese, this title was translated as 'Teacher and Student', or 'Master and Student', whichever way you want to call it. Now that part of the explanation's over, Aura, shall you do the honours?

Aura: Really? Sure, why not? Final Genesis, my creator, does not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The only characters he own are the ones that he made. This time, the chapter is set in the episode, 'Decisive Battle'. Expect a change in some of the lines. FG also doesn't own the moves from Rurouni Kenshin and Mega Man series as well.

Enjoy the chapter!

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 10: Sensei to Seito **

"You seemed rather tired for a reason Tomoyo," asked Alexis the next day when lunchtime came at school. "Is something the matter?"

Ordering a toasted sandwich along with chocolate milk at the cafeteria, Tomoyo heaved a heavy sigh. "I thought things would come like I would have wanted, but so far there hasn't been much going on," After she finished ordering her lunch and sitting with the rest of the gang, she continued, "Sure, I met you guys and the Autobots, Maximals and Minicons, but I came here for a purpose. I wonder when this teacher would show up?"

"Which teacher you were talking about?" inquired Carlos as he and the rest of the gang listened on. Billy however, was interested. "You mean the new school psychologist that showed up this morning? If that's what you're thinking, I think you found your answer."

"What's the reason why you came to see this teacher anyway?" asked Rad. However, a grim look came from the two girls.

"It's a bit hard for Tomoyo to explain, but maybe I'll try since she told me first," explained Alexis, as together with the Japanese, the latter's story was told. Even Fred, who was pigging out before, had a tear in his eye after the sad tale. "Gee, that's even worse than not finding your required comfort food when you're stressed out or something."

Rad couldn't help but feel sorry for the exchange student. "I guess it would have been hard loosing a parent, even though your parents are still alive, but when you loose someone you love even more than your parents, it's enough to give you a pretty powerful side effect."

Tomoyo couldn't help but nod. "All the support from you guys is what I needed right now, so thank you," Turning to Billy, she couldn't help but ask. "Did you also manage to get her name or something?"

"I don't know, I didn't know if you were interested until now. Maybe if you head up to administration and find out, maybe you'll find you answer soon enough. Don't loose hope just yet!"

An amused look somehow spread to Carlos face. "Man Billy, you're the last person one could ever come to for positive advice. What happened to the old you?" In response, Billy couldn't help but rub his head in embarrassment. "I guess after meeting Jazz, I've certainly changed a little bit." He said, laughing slightly.

"Maybe that's better than you yelling and calling me doofus all the time," grinned Fred, only for Billy to whirl around. "But that still doesn't mean I've completely changed, doofus!" Which caused a bit of laughter to arise from the table.

"Okay," interrupted Rad now that their social talk was over, "Now that we're done, what should we do since the Decepticons and Predacons have both the Skyboom Shield and the Star Sabre?"

"A one in a million chances is what we probably needed right now," added Tomoyo, and Carlos nodded. "We couldn't just sit there and do nothing which Megatron goes on another rampage or something!"

"But now wouldn't be a good time to talk about it," interrupted Alexis as she looked around, just in case other students were eavesdropping. "It'll probably be better to talk about it in private." Just then, the intercom rang out.

"Tomoyo Shirakura, report to the principal's office please," 

"What now?" Demanded Carlos. "You didn't get yourself in trouble, did you?"

"I don't think it's that," replied the Japanese, as she placed the rubbish in a nearby bin. "Maybe it's time at last… but I'll tell you once I'm done. See you after class!" As she raced off towards the office, the others couldn't help but wonder what would happen next.

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_It could probably the teacher all along… but what else? Maybe Ojii-chan forgot to pay some of the school fees required… but who knows what would have happened. No choice but to find out… _

Her thoughts still wavered as she ran past various students, apologising as she went. She couldn't help but have an excited feeling that her prayers have been answered, as she finally entered the principal's office. When she did, she saw not only Mr. Johnson, the wizened principal of the school, but also a woman of her late twenties, attractive for her age with long, black hair and a blue blouse and skirt combo. It seemed they were in the conversation.

"Ah, Miss Shirakura, is it?" asked the principal as the girl made her entrance. "We were just discussing about you before you came in. I believe you heard about Miss Makimachi here, right?"

"Yes, that's right," she replied while she took a seat. "My uncle mentioned about her sometime ago before I arrived in America," Tomoyo then focused her attention on the young woman. "So you're Miss Makimachi, right?"

"I've heard many things about you, Tomoyo-san," greeted the psychologist, warmly shook Tomoyo's hand in the process. "It's an honour to meet you, but since I'll be helping you with your Japanese, just call me Makimachi-sensei, or just sensei should do."

"Miss Makimachi only just managed to cure one student before arriving here, so please excuse her lateness. If she could cure that student, then you'll regain the skills you lost too. She's also going to be our replacement Japanese teacher as well for this semester."

Makimachi-sensei then turned towards the principal. "Hopefully, that would be enough time to teach Tomoyo-chan here lessons that would help. So Tomoyo, how long have you had that trauma for about?"

Tomoyo was hesitant at first, but she replied, "I think nearly about a year now. It's not a memory I would want to talk about now."

"Oh… I'm so sorry about what happened," she said sadly, "But whatever I can, I'll do whatever I could to help. Starting tomorrow, how does after-school hours sound to you?"

"After-school hours… um, I guess it would be okay to do that at this time," Tomoyo replied, carefully thinking about her plans. "But I trust the lesson outline would be suitable for me?"

"Sure, I made it just for you. Although it's nearly time for class, I'll see you at this afternoon's last period." That said, Tomoyo thanked the new teacher and the principal, and left for her next class, smiling as she finally got her second wish granted.

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Space… a lonely, desolate place. It is a place in which travellers wish to go, known as the final frontier. But even space has as much danger equal to the amount of wonder discovered. There was even an old movie slogan… in space, nobody can here you scream.

This danger came in a form of a rogue meteor that floated aimlessly in space. Somewhere from faraway, it must have appeared at some point when it was formed from space debris. But wherever it came from, it was heading towards the moon, in other words… Decepticon/Predacon HQ.

However, a lone figure stood on the moon's rim. Megatron, having recently gained the Skyboom Shield, was confidently prepared for the inevitable. He was more than willing to test the mighty weapon's defence against the onslaught of the meteor. Since the Skyboom Shield was one of the mighty Minicon weapons from the three Minicons Mirage, Downshift, and Dirt Boss, and was the equal to the Star Sabre, he should have no trouble blocking the rogue object.

The Shield began to glow a brilliant gold. Without hesitating, the Decepticon leader quickly brought it in front of him. As the meteor made contact, Megatron grunted as the moon underneath shook with the colliding force against it. Nearby, the Decepticons and Predacons watched the scene.

"Check out Megatron guys!" exclaimed Demolishor, as Waspinator even agreed. "Wazzpinatorr feel rumble in hizz whole boddiee!"

The golden light of the shield illuminated the entire field, forcing many others to cover their optics. When they looked again… they saw their leader, standing completely unharmed, with meteor bits now floating in the never regions of space.

"Way to smoke that comet, Megatron!" congratulated Demolishor as the scene was over in seconds. "If you haven't, we would have all been crushed like ants at a picnic! With the Star Sabre and the Skyboom Shield, we… I'd mean you couldn't loose Megatron!"

"Heh. You're a suck-up." Scoffed Starscream as their leader now headed up to them, gleaming with pride. "My fellow Decepticons and Predacons," began Megatron, "I believe we are ready at long last. The final decisive battle with the Autobots and Maximals is at hand."

But Sideways was no sure. "But Megatron, sir? Don't you think you're getting a little ahead of yourself here? It's just that the Skyboom Shield is new to you. You should learn how to use it first."

"The motorcycle is right," added Tarantulas in agreement. "We only just acquired the Skyboom Shield just an Earth day before. Its powers are still unknown even to us."

But Megatron only brushed the advice aside. "Thank you for your input you two but… never question my authority again!"

"But…"

"Or maybe you two… you have some tricks up you sleeves that you haven't been sharing with us."

"Of course not sir…" they both murmured at the same time. However, someone else also decided to intervene. "Which is why I should participate in this fight."

The other Decepticons and Predacons looked around in surprise. "Who said that?" demanded Megatron, as something flew past him. When his optics focused, he saw a small, familiar condor-shaped form fly around him. It floated, as it beckoned to show him something. And when the army looked where he was heading off to, they saw a familiar sight.

The one known as Spystreak flew towards a rocky outcrop on the hill, converting to a cassette tape in the process. On that outcrop, a form of a blue, six-wheeled, Cybertronian M93A1 NBC Reconnaissance System began rolling down towards the group, most of whom were uncertain of their new arrival. Especially when the vehicle suddenly called out in a familiar monotone voice, "TRANSFORM!"

With that, the vehicle began to transform. The front bumper quickly began shifting, until a pair of white and blue legs appearing in its place. The cockpit contracted, until it merged with the interior as they formed a pair of arms, which were facing backwards. The rear of the vehicle separated slightly to form the weapons, which included a concussion blaster while the remainder flew into the air momentarily. On top of the transforming vehicle, the tape compartment on top rose to form the torso as the head flipped up, which was a single-optical warrior with glowing red optics and a faceplate. Finally, as the top half swivelled to the front, the remainder of the vehicle that separated earlier formed the extra bulk necessary, as a shoulder-mounted radio wave sensor/plasma Gatling Cannon connected to his right shoulder. A gleaming warrior has taken his place.

"So you decided to show up at long last, Soundwave," smiled Megatron, as he watched the arrival of his newest soldier. "To what may I ask is the reason for your arrival?"

Like many of the other recruits of the Decepticon/Predacon army, Soundwave saluted before his leader. "Many months have passed since you left Cybertron. I suggest taking the advice of what the two had to say."

"I may surrounded by morons at the moment, but at least I could listen to what you have to mention. What information do you have?"

"Like what Tarantulas and Sideways said, you are still new at using the Skyboom Shield. But there is more trouble ahead. Of the two new Autobots detected on Earth, one of them could pose a threat to us."

Megatron couldn't help but listen more at the information began to interest him. "Go on."

"Playing video files now," He ordered, as Spystreak began the film. When the holographic screen started, it showed a scene from the battlefield from the past just a day ago at the abandoned raceway. At first, the others weren't sure what the warning was about. But when they saw what was on the screen, most of them were in shock. "Yes… as I suspected… the one called Bladestriker has arrived on Earth."

"So the Autobots and Maximals are getting desperate now huh?" grinned Megatron as he watched with interest. "I'd never thought I'd see the day when the legendary assassin would make her comeback. But by the sounds of things, her skills really are sharper than ever aren't they?"

"Take it from me," shuddered Cyclonus as he was still shaking from the inside. "I'm still dreading the pain of the needles she fired yesterday…"

"So mind explaining me who tape-boy is?" demanded Shatterbelt as the warriors finished the film, which earned him a hit on the head by Starscream. "You haven't been in the army for a long time have you, Shatterbelt? I'm not normally someone who would admit this, but according to the various soldiers I heard Soundwave was known to be one of the most powerful Decepticons on Cybertron, apparently even stronger than or second to Megatron."

"I suggest making sure that Megatron doesn't hear you say that Starscream, but with Soundwave's assistance, we may have a fighting chance of winning against the Autobots and Maximals once and for all." Suggested Tarantulas, only for Megatron's booming voice growl, "May have?"

"No, no, I mean we'll have a fighting chance of victory." Waspinator seemed a little nervous around the Decepticon. "Wazzpinator doezz not like Sound-bot one bit… but win, Megatron must."

"Nevertheless," began Soundwave again, "We must not underestimate the Autobots and Maximals now. Otherwise, the tide of the battle would turn in their favour."

Satisfied that there was no argument has risen from the ranks, Megatron's optics centred over to Planet Earth as he waited for the inevitable battle to begin. _So now that Soundwave is here combined with the power of the Skyboom Shield… your end is near, Optimus Prime. _With that, he once again let loose his evil laughter, even though it's couldn't be heard from the outer reaches of space.

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_Autobot/Maximal HQ… _

It is another fine afternoon, and training has started once again in the training room. Only this time, Hotshot was training in the gym section of the room as opposed to the virtual simulation Wipeout normally attended to. Most of the obstacle course however, was pretty much a crude set-up as the sports car weaved through the steel pillars (which were supported by a series of pulleys), and for the next part of the stage, Jolt, Incinerator and the Street Action Minicons threw various pieces of metal, while to add to the challenge, the Future Stunt Minicons utilised non-fatal laser turrets designed for the training exercise.

Careful as not to get hit by the metal and laser projectiles, along with a set of rolling hurtles and swinging roman rings (that came later on the course), Hotshot weaved his way through, heading towards the flag, which was at the end of the course. But just as he reached it, Blurr zipped past him, snatching the flag from the post as he finished by rebounding off the wall.

"Hey, no way!" exclaimed the yellow sports car as he saw the victory in Blurr's grasp.

"Guess that means I win." Chuckled Blurr as he smirked behind his faceplate. On a nearby balcony the kids watched with excitement as they just managed to finish school for the day.

"Wow, wicked cool!" cheered Carlos and Billy added, "Yeah, impressive! I've never seen that move that fast before."

Fred couldn't help but give Blurr his own comment. "You kind of remind me when I was in gym class."

"Somehow I find that hard a little to believe Fred." Chuckled the Autobot sniper, and there was laughter all around. Hotshot however, had a disgruntled look on his face. "Oh man, what a show-off." He grumbled, crossing his arms. Suddenly the door opened and both Smokescreen and Wipeout decided to make their entrance. "Hey guys! So what's going on in here?" called the crane.

"Just uh, training Smokescreen, uh yeah." Replied Hotshot in a mumble of words.

"Training huh, excellent, excellent, that's what I like to hear gentlemen! Hope you don't mind if I join you?" Wipeout couldn't help but have a look around the section of the training facilities. "It probably doesn't have the same air of intensity as the virtual simulation, but still, if possible, I might give it a shot."

(HEY!) Shouted Jazz. (We managed to help build the obstacles you know, so be grateful!)

(I'm normally not of the quiet variety, but calm down, Jazz,) Replied Sunstreaker, as she and Sureshock began programming a few more obstacles in the room. High Wire also added, (We did our best to design it to suit you well as best as we could, so least enjoy it as a team.)

Liftor, who was accompanying Smokescreen at the time, was also pleased at the results since he also helped with the construction. (So you think Smokescreen can give it a go you guys?)

"Uh, sure?" Hotshot wasn't certain whether Smokescreen would be able to complete it on time, but Blurr suddenly let his words out loud. "You couldn't keep up," he began, catching the crane's attention. "You don't have the same performance chip we have. Besides, we wouldn't want to embarrass you."

Suddenly, Hotshot couldn't help but quickly whisper, "Hey Blurr, would you zip it already?"

"Embarrass me?" growled Smokescreen, as he wasn't the kind to keep his cool at times. "Let's do it!"

The Minicons reset the course to the beginning. As soon it was prepared, Smokescreen proceeded to running headfirst, starting with ploughing through the boards of steel as he smashed through. Even if he was hit, he didn't slow down one bit. As he was watching the crane in action, Wipeout couldn't help but smile as he leaned back against the wall with his arms crossed. _Nothing less from the big lug himself. He doesn't have a way with fancy fighting styles, but at least he has a drive that refuses to surrender. I guess that's the reason why he's a suitable training partner when it came to the virtual simulator. _

"Come on, bro, you can do it!" Hotshot, Blurr and Wipeout couldn't help but notice Aura, one of their fellow Maximal companions cheer for her 'brother', ever since of the circuitry donation utilised to save her a few weeks ago. Ever since then, Smokescreen couldn't help but treat the Transmetal Phoenix the same way, and they were like siblings to each other. Tomoyo, who was watching with the other kids, smiled with awe since it remaindered her of her times with her late sister.

Smokescreen continued to endure the brunt of the projectiles as he even repelled the laser blasts and the metal pieces. Even the spinning hurtles refused to make him stay down as he was already swinging across the pit on the roman rings. By the time he picked up the flag, he was already laughing victoriously in pride. "In your face!" he laughed victoriously, as now Hotshot had to face the fact that two Autobots beat him to the flag.

"Sorry Hotshot, but looks like Smokescreen smoked your butt good." Snickered Blurr in amusement.

Above the kids also cheered. "Hey, way to go Smokescreen!" cheered Alexis, while Rad added, "Looks like Hotshot has a little catching up to do." However, Tomoyo shook her head. "Don't rub it in on Hotshot, Rad. They all had their share of fun now, have they?"

"This is the kind of air I love when I'm on the side of good." Smiled Aura as she went to congratulate Smokescreen. "It wasn't too hard for you was it, Big Bro?"

"Nope, it wasn't. By the way, how's training with Bladestriker?"

Unfortunately, it was the wrong choice of words, as somehow, Aura suddenly fell onto the floor with a face-plant. "Aura!" cried Hotshot as the rest of the Autobots and their Minicons headed up to the phoenix. When they got here, they heard her mumble, "Shee's 'oriblleee…"

"Excuse me?"

"She's horrible…" she mumbled again, as Hotshot and Smokescreen managed to support her on their shoulders. Wipeout however, was sceptical. "No wonder you look worse to wear. What the slag happened to you?"

"I thought when Scavenger was training me, it was harsh enough. But compared to Bladestriker, it's even nothing in comparison!"

Hotshot surprised as a result. "And here I thought training with Scavenger was hard. How hard was it?"

"It's not even training yet though…"

_Flashback 1 begins… _

"In a manner of speaking," began Bladestriker as soon as Aura sat down and began listening. "Martial Arts have always been the way as a sort of self-defence, as a cleansing of the spark. Most of the time, they were studied for various reasons including combat skills, sport, fitness, self-defence, self-cultivation (meditation), mental discipline, character development, and building self-confidence. Depending on how beings use martial arts in the past and whatever place, it could either be used as a means of peace, or for conquest in the Decepticon/Predacon point of view. But you wouldn't want conquest now, would you Aura? Since the beginning of the Dark Ages of Cybertron, there has been many different styles that have recently made fame, styles like Metallikato, Tekkaiddo, and most recently, Jyuuyoso Eien Mitsurugi Ryu. Most of these styles, if wielded in the right hands, could bring peace, as aforementioned. However, the wrong hands could use it as a threat for conquest. Only one with high physical and mental prowess, combined with foresight would be able to master them. However, even though that style would be gained, in this day and age, it is not so simple to save it with just one's self-sacrifice, no matter what goal you have."

"You mean in other words, life isn't just a walk in the park?" replied the Transmetal Phoenix, as their Minicon partners also began listening too.

"Correct. In the case of Jyuuyoso Eien Mitsurugi Ryu, it carries the virtue of bravery, loyalty, honour, self-discipline, and a stoical acceptance of death on the battlefield. But ignore the last part about death; I assume you have more goals in life besides training. And speaking of training… I'd mention that I'd teach you a few techniques. But let's test to see that if you're worthy of possessing the skills, shall we? Firstly, there's no planet vast enough for two Bladestrikers after all. And secondly, no skill can make anybody a god. And for the test… I got the method just to do it."

Aura watched as the swordsmistress twirled a circular object as it landed on the latter's head. Only when Aura magnified her vision, she saw that it was a Cybertronian tiara. "There are two methods to pass this test, both in which they are optional. You can either try to land a hit on me, or secondly… see if you can try to steal this tiara off my head, to see if your training with Scavenger works. The latter I'd find, should be of amusement, and so I hope you're ready, and don't disappoint me."

As a result from those words, the Maximal assumed fighting stance. _So this is how this is going to be… My very first fight against the legendary assassin herself, _she thought. _Could I ever train under her mastery? I must do it! _

The few seconds of movement were at a standstill as the two warriors stared at each other, neither avoiding each other's gaze. Aura was somewhat trying her best to keep her nerves steady with much effort, while Bladestriker's look, however, was of calm stance. Now all that the match needed was the striking bell.

The striking bell came in form of Crackshot's laser aimed at the rooftop, and the test has begun when the two combatants charged at each other. As Aura ran towards her opponent, she noticed that Bladestriker has already ignited her katana blade. _Does she expect me to try to avoid it? _She thought, as she quickly noticed a glint of green light. Quickly taking flight, she automatically tried a jump-kick aimed at either her torso or her head. However, to her dismay… Bladestriker automatically avoided the kick by a few Cybertronian centimetres, flipping her opponent with her legs. As a result, Aura wound up crashing into a nearby console, in which both Crackshot and Windchaser were able to clear away in time.

The assassin couldn't help but chuckle a little. "You didn't think I was able to study most combat moves in my lifetime, did you… bird-brain?"

The Maximal couldn't help but feel a surge of anger whelming inside. As they watched, Windchaser couldn't help but think, (You think Aura would be able to endure all this?)

(It's ae lesson thi' lass needs. O' all tests she's faced, she needs thi' one. It's ae only chance she'll git at thi' time.) Replied the sharpshooter, his arms crossed.

_A taunt… is that her way of intimidating me? This is insane… how could I land a blow or steal that tiara? _Squeezing her fists tightly, Aura then proceeded to unleashing a full arsenal of punches and kicks that Scavenger taught her earlier on. However, behind her faceplate, the Mitsurugi mistress was still smirking as she continued to prevent the Maximal from landing a hit. After a few seconds, she ended up slamming her foot right into Aura's face, another hard hit inflicted following with a right handsword to the stomach. Both Crackshot and Windchaser winced as they saw the reaction the stumbling warrior suffered, since she was now holding both her face and stomach in pain.

"The optics are functioning, but Mrs Processor has just departed, eh Aura? Of all the flying warriors in my lifetime, I haven't found a dual blow this amusing since a double groin kick sent Sunstorm 'flying' headfirst into a missile factory… not nice, not pleasant. We can continue this all night if you want, but if not… you'll lose that chance."

"I mustn't… no… I have to do this… please, for BlackArachnia's sake!" cried Aura, as she was still wincing from the pain. Right now, she was struggling to get up, her circuits slightly fizzling. Her armour was slightly battered because of the damage. Even at half-strength, Bladestriker could still inflict major damage to her opponents, and Aura was one of many to sample her bite. Something inside the phoenix however, impressed even the assassin.

_Unlike her body, her optics are more determined than ever. It does remind me of something… but what? Her willingness not to accept defeat really is interesting. Maybe because of her time with the Autobots and Maximals, perhaps? _A small grin appeared on her face. "So be it then. I guess this would make torturing you… uh, I mean, training you even more entertaining."

"What?"

"Nothing. Come at me now… if you want peace to prevail."

And so, the fight continued on for a few mega-cycles. Alas however, Aura collapsed on the floor, most of her attempts repelled by the mistress.

Bladestriker's childlike voice murmured again, "I'm starting to question whether Optimus' words really were true… or have been an ill omen. Still, you better not show any mercy… and do whatever you can. But don't you even think of quitting, or you'll find yourself occupying several recycling plants. Understood?" With that, she and Crackshot (who bowed as a sign of respect to Windchaser) left the room, leaving Aura to wonder in frustration what went wrong for while, and Windchaser watching on with pity.

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It was a lovely summer night as the assassin stepped outside Autobot/Maximal HQ. There were no clouds in the sky, and best of all, there was the full moon in the midnight. On the other side of the base, there was a large lake in view. Bladestriker couldn't help but be reminded of her killing nights when she was still a lone neutral slaying various warriors of the past. Although at times she was told on occasion to tone down her killing instinct, she was still a lethal adversary to all, and feared even by her own comrades. She quite enjoyed her time with the Autobots and Maximals even though her way of honour was rather different.

But something even bugged her at this point as she strolled along. Somehow, in her quest along her dark path, there were even some things she didn't know about herself. She herself even had no idea how she was created, and to add to the mystery, the reason why she obtained those killer styles. Maybe she terminated so many enemies she was missing something. Somewhere inside, perhaps, a vague memory from the past?

Even while she was thinking, her other senses were active at most times. That could be said, as aforementioned, when she suddenly sliced off a pair of wings, grabbing and then tossing a screaming Aura into the lake below.

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Aura was still aching and fuming at the same time. Most of her attempts to land a hit on Bladestriker or stealing the tiara counted as failures at the moment. Even after recovering at the CR Chambers, she could still feel the pain the assassin inflicted on her. The worst injuries came in form of attempt to dive-bomb the black Autobot at top speed in robot mode, which costed her wings. Even when her wings were repaired, it took a while to control them again since she didn't have flapping wings back on Cybertron.

Other than that, she was more determined than ever to pass the test so she could become Bladestriker's apprentice. Direct combat and rapid sneak-attacks didn't work, were her first thoughts in mind. How could she succeed at this rate?

As she passed the dark warrior's quarters, she couldn't help but notice she found her break. Right now, the assassin was in her recharger, snoozing away. _This could be too good to be true_, she thought, as she crept slowly as she could, careful not to breathe even a whisper. What even pleased her more was that the tiara was still on her head. If she could pry it off her head, then she might pass.

Of course, the thought was just a dream when Bladestriker yawned, not only hitting the phoenix with her fist, but booting her into the hallway too.

_Flashback 1 ends… _

"…And that's what happened, one attempt after another," concluded Aura after she finished her story to the shocked audience. "At this rate, I can't take it anymore!"

"Have you been using the CR Chambers again, sis?" asked Smokescreen. "At this rate we'll run out of Energon faster than you say, 'slag'!"

Wipeout shook his head. "Smokescreen, didn't you listen to Tusklaw's explanation? The converters use solar energy, so they don't use as much Energon to power multiple chambers up. And there's also the emergency back-up reserves too."

"If I were in your situation madam, I'll be toast by the time I tried every idea, and so would Fred by the way. How much caffeine does she drink anyway!" demanded Billy. Tomoyo however objected, "Just because Bladestriker has ESP or something doesn't mean she has to drink stimulants or anything. Most martial artists don't rely on stuff like caffeine or steroids to keep them going, so meditation helps with the soul at times."

"Don't forget the regular exercises and rest too," added Alexis. "Although I couldn't imagine how stressful Bladestriker's training would be."

"Easier said than done," added a voice, when the kids suddenly yelped out in shock. The reason was because Bladestriker just phased through the steel wall like it was water. It would take time for some of the residents to get used to her antics at certain moments. "At this time, you must know a sense in difficulty in which the attained mastery would become a reality. Passing the test in a short time would be practically impossible at the moment."

"But that doesn't mean you have to kick Aura about 24/7!" fumed Hotshot. "Couldn't you at least tone it down a bit?"

Bladestriker's cold glare and childlike tone suddenly become as dark as her black Autobot insignia. "Silence, whelp. In case you have not realised, one must not hold back when it comes to wits, endurance, and when it comes to giving it all. Is being a 'petty' master enough? I just might stick this katana up your nether regions in addition to multiple needles in your optics if you speak one wrong comment." And to the reaction to those words, Hotshot was now a fountain of cold sweat.

"Scary woman," Shivered Carlos after he watched the scene. "But just because Aura's a former Predacon doesn't mean she has to be treated this way!"

Even Blurr didn't want to make the wrong move. However, Jazz has other words to say.

(Hey, hey, hey! I read a human saying in some comic that even in a short time, 'even piss in the river can flow to the sea'. So possible or impossible, you can't judge distance from now! And even in a short time, Aura, even you can pass the test!)

"Jazz…" murmured the Maximal in admiration. A look of amusement even appeared on Grindor's face. (Creative use of words, even though it sounds gross. I thought you were one of the carefree, lazy types though.)

Converting herself to cloak mode again, Bladestriker still remained cool about the advice. But inside, she was interested. _Interesting on how someone could come up with aspiring words like this, no matter how crude. But for now… _"I wonder whether your words can become a reality or not, ward. But very well, we'll see if it works or if it's just as effective praying to a horse. And as for you Aura, like I mentioned before… if you fail… I will terminate you."

The reaction would have turned nasty if not a call from the main control room sounded. "Attention! Incoming message from Megatron! Report to the control room, stat!"

There were various reactions to the report. "Boy, that's kinda weird." Replied Alexis.

"Hey, maybe he wants to surrender?" suggested Fred, as Carlos snappily replied, "Ah, would you give us as break, Fred?"

Rad was suspicious about the message, and so there was no other choice to find out. "Let's go."

A few minutes afterwards, the entire team of humans, Autobots, Maximals and even Minicons assembled at the control room. On the visual monitor, the familiar smirking face of Megatron was on screen.

"Listen closely Optimus Prime. It's time we ended our longstanding feud between our armies, and for the Decepticons and Predacons to claim what is rightfully ours. The planet on which you stand will be at the mercy of one decisive battle. That is, if you have the courage to face me in battle." And with the familiar ringing of evil laughter, the transmission ended.

"Oh man," groaned Carlos. "That creep gives me the creeps!"

"So what are we going to do about it huh, Optimus?" demanded Alexis.

Behind his faceplate, the commander's look was rather grim. "I have no choice but to accept, because it is my sworn duty to protect this planet from his evil."

Rad couldn't help but add his own view of the situation too. "This is great! The Decepticons and Predacons have the Star Sabre sword and the Skyboom Shield!"

"Rad, no matter the odds, we have to stop Megatron at all costs!"

"Awaiting your orders, sir." Replied Red Alert, as he typed up the mission profile, while also setting up Sentinel at the same time.

Tomoyo was listening patiently to the dialogue, when she noticed Bladestriker deep in thought. "Is there something wrong, Shishou?" she asked.

"Megatron seemed rather confident on winning this fight. And it's not just the Minicon weapons he's using. I have a nagging feeling that there is another presence, something else."

"You mean the mystery Decepticon or Predacon that knocked you out?"

The assassin nodded. "Not just him. A master that this being serves, someone familiar to me, too. By the way, I noticed you are familiar with the term, 'Shishou'. Does it mean anything?"

Sunstreaker decided to add her voice. "From the country Tomoyo comes from, I believe it happens to be a honourable term for a martial arts master. Even though you're a bit of a bitch at times, it probably suits you well."

"Interesting…" she purred. "It does give a ring to it. I like it." From where he was watching, Scavenger was already amused. _So if you choose the right words, you wouldn't be afraid of someone frightening like Bladestriker. _

As usual, Smokescreen was battle-ecstatic once again, as his crane arm was swinging wildly. "Alright! Let's get it on!" Unfortunately, some of the warriors had to dodge the spinning weapon, Hotshot included. "Watch it! You're going to poke someone's optic out with that hook, you jerk!"

"Hey Hotshot," smirked Blurr as he was preparing his sniper rifle. "Who said you were even coming along?" Scavenger however chided, "Excuse me Blurr, but um, I told you before. We work as a team."

"Whatever."

"There isn't enough time for me to recover at the CR Chambers, right?" asked Aura as she was still aching. "Don't worry," smiled Tusklaw as he utilised his psychic powers again. "I make a good substitute for recovery anytime on the battlefield.

"Thank you very much, I needed that." Replied Aura gratefully.

"Correct. Considering of the intensity of the fight we especially need all the strength we got against the fools." Despite Wipeout's gentlemanly manners, when it comes to a battle however, his speech usually becomes rather informal.

"Autobots and Maximals, let's move out!" commanded Optimus, as once again, the entire army raced towards the warpgate while the kids watched.

"Kick some Decepti-butt!" crowed Carlos.

"And hurry back for dinner!" Fred added, which earned him, "Shut up Fred!" from Billy. As the warpgate activated, the entire army, all in vehicle mode set off once again for the inevitable fight to the finish.

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"Megatron, sir, we're been out in the middle of nowhere for about a mega-cycle! Do you think they'll soon show up?" asked Demolishor. Out in the rocky wasteland, it was already blistering, and most of the seven Decepticons and the two Predacons were already impatient.

"Don't worry, they'll show up," assured the Decepticon commander, who was laughing at the same time at the thought. "But I don't expect them to leave here in one piece."

But they didn't have to wait for long, as Spystreak landed on Soundwave's wrist, like a seeker falcon and the falconer. After a few seconds of communication, the communications officer then spoke out. "Sir, Spystreak has detected an incoming group of vehicles and two beasts, most likely the Autobots and Maximals."

"Really? Are you sure?" However, a cackle of laughter from Cyclonus answered Megatron's question. "Hahahaha, here they come now!"

At Cyclonus' words, the Autobots and Maximals have finally arrived, with Red Alert checking out the situation. "I've locked onto their coordinates sir, they're dead ahead."

"Right. AUTOBOTS AND MAXIMALS, TRANSFORM!" Other than the Maximals calling out their activation codes, the army of warriors stood assembled onto the battlefield.

Now that both sides faced each other, Megatron's voice boomed out once again. "We're been expecting you, Optimus Prime!"

"Didn't think we'd show did you, you overgrown motherboard!" retorted Hotshot. Other than that, a serious look appeared on Tusklaw's face, in which Aura was quick to notice. "What's wrong?"

"Other than his confidence to win this fight… I'm sensing a disturbance. And that's more than just his confidence I'm feeling…"

"I feel this sensation too," added Bladestriker with Scavenger nodding with agreement. "Prime must be careful in any case since it seems there's a dark aura surrounding Megatron. And not only that, I sense another presence. Someone familiar."

From the cliff top, the monotone voice has sounded. "Very good. You are expected… Bladestriker." As the assassin turned her head in her direction, her all-too-familiar smirk appeared as she sighted her old adversary. "I should have known it was you who sent Frenzy out… Soundwave."

"SOUNDWAVE!" exclaimed the rest of the Autobots and Maximals at the same time. Back at the base, the kids were also surprised. "They know this guy?" asked Fred.

Tusklaw instantly opened communications. "Apparently, he's utterly loyal to Megatron, but he's also one of the smartest Decepticons. Soundwave is quite a dangerous warrior as well as being the ultimate communications officer. In fact, he's noted as the Decepticons 'One-Con Relay Station'. This isn't going to be an easy fight if he's here too."

"Heheheheh, it looks like for once we all agree on something," smirked Megatron, as he was impressed that a warrior from the opposing side has heard many stories about his subordinate. "But as things go, the show must go on," Instantly, he leapt up into the air. "POWERLINK – STAR SABRE!"

The Air Defence Team once again formed the sequence in unison: with Sonar forming the hilt, while Jetstorm and Runway formed the blade. As the blade ignited into blue fire, the sword was then joined with the newest addition.

"Let's do it! SKYBOOM SHIELD – POWERLINK!" In the same manner, Mirage, Dirt Boss and Downshift were forced to form the legendary shield, as it then landed onto Megatron's hand. Now that he was armed with both Minicon Weapons, things very about to get ugly. However, that was not the worst of it, as Red Alert quickly noticed something.

"Optimus, I'm noticing a unusual change in energy between the weapons! It seems Megatron's negative energy were channelled into both the Star Sabre and the Skyboom Shield!"

"What do you mean?" asked Optimus, when suddenly Scavenger pointed out, "Look!"

The next thing that happened was not what they expected. Somehow, the weapons burst into black light, and most of the forces were thrown back slightly by the blast of wind they generated. When they opened up their optics… they were in for quite a shock.

Somehow, it seemed that the weapons have changed colour. The first noticeable change was with the Star Sabre, in which the colour scheme came in darker hues of black, gold, grey, and especially purple. But it wasn't just the colour scheme that has changed. There was a somewhat, sinister edge generating from the blade, as if the Star Sabre itself was corrupted by the darkness of the Pit. Finally, the blade was surrounded by a violet, flame-like aura, something that personified the darkness.

The second noticeable change was also seen on the Skyboom Shield. Gone was the usual yellow and grey colour scheme, it was now emitting a red aura. Its scheme was now a mix of red, white and grey, the colouration somehow warped by negative energy. Like the Star Sabre, it too has been corrupted in the process.

"Hmm… so this is what happens when an evil Transformer wields both weapons in his or her iron grasp." Said an amused Tarantulas as he and the combatants watched. Below the cliff face, many of the others were surprised. "What in Primus was that?" demanded Smokescreen, as he saw the change in the Minicon Weapons.

"Oh slag. This isn't what I'm seeing, is it?" cursed out Wipeout. That led to Hotshot asking the question. "What are you trying to say Wipeout?"

"When a strong willed Decepticon holds both weapons in his or her grasp – either by consent in times of duress or under coercion – the very nature of the two change to suit their wielder's dark desires. The raw power of both weapons is the same, yet they don't have any restraint or mercy inherent in the Air Defence Team and the Race Team. I never thought I'd see the day when the Dark Sabre and the Abyssal Shield would be formed in both hands."

_Things are either going to be intense… or interesting… _thought Bladestriker. _Let's see if Megatron has the potential to wield these weapons or fail in the process. _

"I'm about to turn your world into a living nightmare, Optimus!" crowed the Decepticon Commander as he steadied his nerves for battle. He even sensed Demolishor aiming his cannons at the opposing army so he prevented the grunt from firing. "Demolishor, no! Just sit back and watch."

"Are you sure, Megatron sir?"

"I now hold both the Dark Sabre Sword and the Abyssal Shield. Therefore I hold the power of this universe! The time has fallen for these weaklings to feel my wraith!" With that, Megatron leaped down to meet the opposition.

"Enough yapping! Let's get this started!" retorted Hotshot as he prepared for his link-up with Jolt. "JOLT – POWERLINK!" With that, he fired a laser shot at the Decepticon leader. But his face instantly turned into shock as he saw that the shield has nullified the blast.

Blurr then decided to give his shot a go. "Try this one for size!" He yelled, as this time her pulled out both of his laser rifles, in addition to Wipeout's familiar multi-barrelled weapon. But not even the three weapons had enough juice to take down the Abyssal Shield's defences, even allowing Wipeout to curse out, "The words 'Oh' and 'Crap' do seem to be appropriate right about now."

Megatron was already laughing at the combined attempt. "Don't bother me with your silly little toys! My Skyboom, err, I mean my Abyssal Shield will neutralise whatever pathetic attack you attempt to unleash upon me!" As he headed towards the combined army, both the Autobots and Maximals attempted halt Megatron with whatever they got, but to no avail.

"Can't you see your efforts are getting you nowhere? Your days as my adversaries are over! There is only one ruler, and that is me!" He then charged at Optimus, the Dark Sabre at ready. "Your time on Earth is over, Optimus!" But luckily for Optimus, he avoided being sliced. The only problem now was that his rifle's barrel was sliced off in the process, and so now, Megatron was refusing to give the Autobot leader an opening. Even when Scavenger tried to help, he was blocked from giving assistance, as he saw two familiar faces on the cliff-top above.

"Hahahaha! They're running around like chickens with their heads cut off!" Cackled Cyclonus, as his weapons were primed. "I say we join in on this party!" added Demolishor, and along with Shatterbelt, Soundwave and Tarantulas, their weapons began blazing anew. While Red Alert and Smokescreen attempted to get Scavenger to safety, Hotshot, Blurr, Wipeout, and Aura quickly provided cover. Even Tusklaw and Bladestriker decided to help, as they managed to deflect a few stray projectiles that came their direction.

"Are you alright, Scavenger?" asked Red Alert as he proceeded to fix up the instructor's frame.

"Put it this way, Red Alert, I had better days. But thanks for asking!"

"We'll take care of things, Scavenger." assured Smokescreen, as Red Alert assisted the others in exchanging firepower. Meanwhile, Soundwave decided to kick things up a notch. "Rumble, activate pile drivers."

A small monster truck quickly transformed into a red and black Minicon saluting his partner in the process. Converting his forearms into the aforementioned weapons, he quickly began pounding the earth at full force, causing the Autobots and Maximals to feel the effect.

"Rumble! I should have known Soundwave would have him in his arsenal," cursed out Tusklaw, as he realised that things were about to get even more ugly. He then heard a sound of a rolling boulder from above Scavenger and Smokescreen. "Hey, watch out!"

By sheer luck, a set of green optical blasts instantly demolished the boulder, which was all thanks to Bladestriker. Scavenger couldn't help but ask, "Bladestriker, when did you equip yourself with optical lasers?"

"Just because I have a close combat capability doesn't mean I lack a mid-long range weapon," She snapped as turned towards the ledge where Soundwave is. "If he's going to release Frenzy I suggest you block your audio receptors while you're at it, and not only that… Prime's going to need assistance soon."

She was right, as right now, Megatron was slowly gaining the upper hand. "Where are you going? There is no escape!" In response, Optimus quickly fired his wrist blasters along with a quick Sparkburst, but with no effect, as Megatron taunted again. "Ready to surrender yet?" he smirked, raising his shield.

"Not by a long shot!" Optimus retorted as he tried to penetrate the defences. Back at the base, the kids and their Minicons were watching with both anticipation and worry.

"Keep at him Optimus!" cheered Carlos.

"Aw, the Autobots and Maximals' weapons were like totally useless." Groaned Billy with worry, while Fred added, "I'm breaking out into a rash!"

Alexis couldn't help but add, "I say they better do something, and quick!"

"Yeah, like capturing either the Star Sabre Sword or the Skyboom Shield or else they're going to be history!" finished Rad. Tomoyo was worried about the battle that raged on. "I only hope the Air Defence and Race Teams don't stay in this state forever. What's going to happen to them if they do?"

(The more these weapons were forced to remain combined in their dark states, the more they change as a result of their dark influence,) Answered High Wire. (This effect may be temporary, but the prolonged combination may even maintain the colouration even in robot mode, and I don't think you want to know what their personalities are like as the Air Assault and Road Assault Teams.)

(That, I wouldn't want to know.) Shuddered Sureshock. On screen however, Megatron was able to score a hit by severing one of Optimus' wrist cannons.

"I'm really starting to enjoy this! So, any last words before I eliminate you?"

"C'mon Optimus, get up!" cried Carlos as they saw that the sword made contact. Rad hurried up towards the control console. "Come on you guys, now's your chance! That's it, keep firing!"

"Right!" replied Red Alert as he and Smokescreen scanned around, eventually locating Optimus. "There!" called out the latter of the two.

"I'm on it! TRANSFORM!" yelled Blurr as he quickly transformed into vehicle mode, with Hotshot following him as well. Smokescreen couldn't help but wonder what the two were up to, and that was when Cyclonus spotted them. He then transformed into vehicle mode as he prepared for the pursuit. "Hey, where are you going?" demanded Starscream.

"For a Sunday drive, whaddya think you moron!" he smirked sarcastically as he flew after the two Autobots.

"He's such a kidder. TRANSFORM!" yelled the second-in-command, as he also flew after his quarry too, in addition to Waspinator trailing behind. Soundwave then decided to deploy his air unit by opening both of his compartments. "Spystreak, Ratbat, Fractyl, Squawktalk eject. Operation, pursuit."

Along with Spystreak, two CDs and a cassette followed it. Respectively, the two CDs transformed into a black and purple bat, and a blue pterodactyl. The remaining member of the air unit transformed into a turquoise parrot with glowing amber optics as it took flight.

As the rest of the Autobots and Maximals watched, Aura quickly called. "The guys are going to need back up! I can't just sit there and let their spoilers get punctured!" As quickly as she could, she transformed into phoenix mode and was about to fly off when Wipeout stopped her, protesting, "Aura, wait up! You're going to need air support considering of the number of forces out there! It's going to be pretty risky!"

"Then give me some cover fire!" came the reply as she quickly took off, forcing Wipeout to perform his job. He then noticed that Bladestriker didn't stop her. "You're not thinking about stopping her aren't you?"

"Before you could think about intervening, think of this as a last chance to prove herself. It may sound hard to believe, but I've been interested in her 'hidden fighting potential' for some time now."

"You mean like the time she powered up? Are you sure you're playing the right cards? I do hope you know what you're doing, or otherwise she'll become 'phoenix hot wings'!" But his thoughts were interrupted as the assassin fired her optic lasers past his shoulder, blowing up an enemy missile before it could do some damage. "Dare you to trust me on this, if you can. But for now, let's keep any more Decepticons and Predacons from trying to intervene."

"Then how come you know all this?" demanded Smokescreen, who just managed to avoid a piece of shrapnel flying past him. "This is my sister we were talking about!"

A small glint came into Bladestriker's optics as he heard the answer to his question. "Fighter's Instinct."

In another part of the wasteland, Hotshot and Blurr were speeding towards the two combatants when they were suddenly under attack. Trailing behind the enemy air force was Aura, who was trying to find a way to help the two sports cars reach Optimus in time. Unfortunately, Squawktalk was the first to notice the phoenix behind him. "Change of plans! Do not allow the Maximal to intervene! Attack mode! Attack mode!"

"Hey Windchaser, what are the odds of taking these guys down?" asked Aura, as she noticed the group heading towards them. While powerlinked, Windchaser scanned out the statistics. (It really is hard to say at the moment, child. Soundwave's air unit may be small, but they have a reputation to be more than just annoyances so we have to be careful. Right now, we have to provide support for both Hotshot and Blurr ASAP. Shall we try to slip by them?)

"Let's go!" came the reply, as the Cassetticons and Compaticons were getting closer by the second. Just before they were about to fire, Aura quickly pulled a steep dive in order to increase speed. Right now, she needed to gain enough speed to make a getaway, but unfortunately, Cyclonus, Waspinator, and Starscream spotted her. "Oh no." she groaned in a depressed tone.

"Ooo, my favourite game – chicken!" laughed Cyclonus. Starscream quickly made his orders. "Go and take out the bird. Waspinator and I will deal with the Autobots!" So now, Aura was facing against five Decepticons while Hotshot and Blurr had to deal with the insect and the jet as a hail of laser fire pelted them. Quickly, the former transformed and took cover behind a large rock formation. "Hey Blurr, take cover!" But the latter didn't stop as he drove past. Only this time, Hotshot knew what was going on as he quickly decided to help Aura.

(For now, Blurr and Incinerator will be fine. It's Aura we have to worry about right now.) Jolt beeped as he quickly powerlinked with Hotshot. The youngster quickly fired a few rapid shots at the group surrounding his comrade, which led to Soundwave's aerial group to en masse the Autobot. But that was enough to give Aura a fighting chance.

"Hold still, chicken!" jeered Cyclonus as he quickly powerlinked with Crumplezone and Dualor. "So there would be enough pieces for a fast food sensation!"

"Like there ever will be, blender-butt!" came the retort. Normally Aura never liked using course language, but in this case she had enough of being taunted ever since her time with the Predacons. She quickly fired a stream of flames at the Decepticon warrior, who narrowly dodged it. Ultimately, Aura quickly fired a prototype built-in stun laser to disable his flying mobility, and after grasping him with her talons, she slammed the helicopter into a nearby cliff face.

(Ouch. That's gotta hurt.) Winced REV as he and the other kids and Minicons watched the battle rage on.

Meanwhile for Blurr, he was able to avoid most of the stinger and laser shots to miss. "You ought to get your sights checked, losers! Time for a little boost! INCINERATOR – POWERLINK!" That was just was he required, as he quickly used his Flight-attack mode to get out of the Decepticon and Predacon's firing range. He too also hid behind a rock formation in robot mode.

Aura only just managed to help Hotshot fend off his tormentors when the two noticed that Blurr managed to take cover. "Hey Blurr, you all right?" asked a worried Hotshot, who just started to rest up a little after the assault while Aura continued to repel the smaller Decepticons in robot mode.

_Okay, gotta pull together Blurr, _he thought as the rest of the units kept searching for the trio. When Aura and Hotshot managed to recover slightly, they quickly prepared their weapons. "Let us take them down. We'll handle it from here!" As Blurr quickly transformed into vehicle mode again, the two youngsters unleashed their own hail of fire again, trying hard to get a shot. Unfortunately the effect of the stun laser was only temporary, as a battered Cyclonus started up again. Not only that, the entire squadron of seven resumed their pursuit of Blurr.

"Now this is more like it!" cackled Cyclonus maniacally as his lasers pelted at the moving target again. "Sorry Auto-boob, but you're about to be air-conditioned!" But the lasers missed as the sniper quickly transformed and took cover again. "Hey Hotshot, Aura, provide a distraction! This time I'll cover either one of you!"

"You sure you can do this by yourself?" asked Hotshot as they heard the call. "Firstly, I should be able to match the cons' speed in vehicle mode. And secondly, I want to prove to Bladestriker that I would be worthy to be her apprentice. Wish me luck!" As Aura quickly took off towards the sun's rays, Hotshot quickly fired while Blurr prepared a shot. _I better have a clean shot if I want to give us a fighting chance. I'll try Waspinator… he's usually an easy target. _Just as Blurr was able to fire a shot at the wasp, he was interrupted by Fractyl and Spystreak, who each fired a missile at his position, resulting in missing his mark. Waspinator and the others were able to get away from firing range. "Blast, I was so close! And now they're totally out of range!"

"Stupid silver-bot wouldn't be getting a piece of Wazzpinator anytime too!" he laughed, but he laughed too soon as four missiles hit their mark, causing the Predacon to plummet down to Earth. "And you won't be getting any smarter, Buzz-brain!" growled Aura, as she was forced to avoid more shots. A few more shots hit her wings, but she was able to take out Spystreak and Fractyl before returning to Earth.

"That's four to go Aura, and thanks!" grinned Hotshot, giving a thumb up as the phoenix transformed again while landing. "Go and take a rest while you're at it – I'll go make them eat my dust!" With that, he quickly transformed into vehicle mode and drove off. As he did, each side's firepower continued exchanging without breaking the stalemate. Back near the cliff-top, as the sides fought on, Scavenger was impressed at the scene unfolding in front of his optics. "Interesting. Looks like these three are learning the value of teamwork after all, Smokescreen."

But the constant feeling of being pinned down by gunfire was enough to do more than just irritate Smokescreen as he suddenly let out a loose roar of rage. Wipeout, who didn't want to get hit by his comrade's crane arm a second time, had to duck as well as Scavenger when his hook sent a nearby boulder flying onto the opposition's side, startling Demolishor and Sideways. "What the…"

Wipeout couldn't help but muse about the outcome of this fight as he watched Megatron and Optimus duke it out. He was just about to find a suitable path when he heard a familiar rumbling sound. Seconds later, he was forced to take flight as Shatterbelt drilled his way to the surface, transforming into robot mode in the process. "Just to make sure you don't try anything funny, traitor, I'll eliminate you from the food chain!" he yelled, his drills spinning.

"So says the nutcracker, but has the consumer learnt anything from it?" growled Wipeout with a grin, as he quickly avoided being drilled. "I still question whether Megatron has even taught you anything else other than just combat techniques?"

"Spare me your simpering and fight!" came the reply as Shatterbelt activated a pair of hidden concussion missile launchers in his hips. Wipeout's optic instantly rose as he quickly activated his rotary shield in time. However, the impact of the missiles seemed to have a much harder hit than usual as the force of the explosion nearly sent Wipeout flying. He then activated his wrist blades as he continued to avoid the constant fire, where they both decided to go at close combat. Red Alert decided to help Wipeout, but was knocked back by multiple rocket fire as Tarantulas made his appearance. When the Predacon scientist powerlinked to Bombshell, it seems his power unlocked a pair of triple-barrelled rocket launchers, each of them, shoulder-mounted.

"Never turn your back on a spider. They tend to be… venomous." He snickered. "But they still squash!" interrupted Scavenger as he quickly executed a full-on roundhouse kick right into Tarantulas' stomach and embedded him into a wall. Red Alert couldn't help but reply, "Thanks Scavenger, but why would Tarantulas and Shatterbelt attack us for?" Scavenger growled, "Maybe boredom has driven them to do something foolish. But where's Bladestriker and Tusklaw anyway?"

Wipeout however, managed to wake up in time just as Shatterbelt grabbed his throat. "I guess I'll you feel my power for the last time, Wipeout." Came the sneer as he prepared to drill his former comrade's teeth out. But the helicopter already managed to perform a bicycle kick to Shatterbelt's nether regions in addition of tossing him over to Smokescreen. "Power you have, brains you lack. Hey Smokescreen, you wanna go?" Instantly, Smokescreen replied, "You sure?"

"Sure, we'll divide the hitting rations so you don't die of boredom." Came the smirk as he and Smokescreen proceeded into double-teaming the Decepticon. "Very considerate of you!" smiled the crane in return.

Back to Aura, Hotshot, and Blurr, the stalemate was not broken so far. However, things were going to change dramatically. "How dare they shoot at us!" yelled Cyclonus as he became aggravated while he still dodged the shots the enemy launched them. "This one's mine, Cyclonus," smirked Starscream, as this time he needed some juice, and that his Null Laser Cannons could do with some action. "SWINDLE – POWERLINK! Hope you have sunscreen because you're about to get burned!" With a wicked laugh, his twin beams fired at full force. Unfortunately, Blurr and Hotshot were sent flying by the force of the blasts generated from the cannons.

"Windchaser!" yelled Aura, as her Minicon companion beeped, (Activating Particle Nullifier now!) This was just the weapon they needed right now, as they quickly proceeded to shielding their companions. Unfortunately, when the blast connected, even the Maximal was sent flying. "What in Primus happened?"

(I don't know! The Nullifier should have worked right now! Unless Soundwave's Cassetticons and Compacticons damaged the wings long enough so it's not functional!) A look of dread appeared on both faces as they realised they are forced to avoid the laser bursts. Over at the remaining Decepticons' position, Demolishor, Sideways and Soundwave watched with interest. "Boy oh boy, Starscream's laying a pounding on them!" said Demolishor with awe. Soundwave couldn't help but reply, "The fact that Aura's Particle Nullifier has ceased functioning should provide an advantage now that there is no stalemate between us." Just then, they heard a sound of gears as Sideways switched to vehicle mode and drove off to an unknown direction, much to the interest of the grunt and the communications officer. "Has he gone crazy?" asked the former with surprise.

Unbeknownst to the two, Bladestriker was camouflaged in her air-elemental form, watching the fight go on at a safe distance. _Your fighting potential… show me, Aura… _

Back to the Autobot quartet, they just managed to knock Shatterbelt and Tarantulas into stasis lock when Tusklaw's voice yelled in their comlinks. "This is Tusklaw, things aren't looking too good out there! Apparently, the Cons are all over us now, so a suggestion would be nice! I'm heading over to the location right now!"

"If you have any suggestions Tusklaw, I'm all ears." Came the reply, as the rest watched grimly. Over the spot where the trio are, things were all too true to Tusklaw's words; they were swarmed. To add to the trouble, Ratbat's sonic waves were even lowering the Autobots and Maximal's chances of escape, making them more susceptible to the Null Laser Cannons.

"Slag, we're like ducks in a duck hunt!" growled Blurr as he narrowly avoided the shots again. In the matter of speaking, when he, Hotshot and Aura began moving from the impact zones, the sniper unfortunately lost one of his sniper rifles in the process. But that wasn't the worst of it, as Hotshot heard a cry. "Huh? Aura!"

Somewhere, Aura was laying face down, struggling to get up. Because of the amount of firepower coming from the sky, it was hard for her to lift off without being spotted. But that was the least of her problems, as she was nearly worn out, along with a well-placed shot that went through her left leg that limited her land speed. _Why did I do something like this… is it because my desire to prove myself? No, it can't be over yet! It just can't! _Now unfortunately, she was targeted by the combined forces of Starscream, Cyclonus, Ratbat and Squawktalk in her weakened state, their weapons armed and ready to fire.

"Aura!" screamed Tomoyo via Laserbeak; "You have to get out of here now!"

_Oh slag, _the phoenix thought as she braced for the impact. For the moment, she thought that she would be taken out. Instead, she felt something push her out of the way…

Aura instantly heard a scream, and for the moment, she thought that one of the enemy forces was shot. Instead, she somehow had a dreadful feeling that it was the other way around. And when her optics realigned themselves, her look turned into that or both horror and worry, as she saw that Hotshot managed to push her out of harm's way. As a result, he was almost damaged to near stasis lock. "Oh no… please no… Hotshot, please get up!"

The youngster turned his head towards her. "Hey, it's all right… I'm… just glad… to see that you weren't hurt anymore that you would have suffered now…" His frame was battered and most of the joints have nearly ceased functioning. Not only that, he was coughing Energon because of the damage. Tusklaw finally drove up to the two. "We have to get him to a safer position, and pronto! The enemy is moving into another position again!"

"You didn't have to save me, Hotshot. Why did you do that… why? Optimus needs your help right now!" demanded Aura, as she felt tears whelming up as Blurr came to see what was going on.

"Hey… at least be grateful that you have more time to enjoy life with us than what you endured… with the Decepticons… and Predacons… and that you needed… to prove to Bladestriker that… you're not weak…" His vocal receptors were starting to become slightly raspy with every word he said. "I'm just happy… I was able to save you… when I had… the chance…" Hotshot suddenly went quiet, as he went into stasis lock. When Aura felt the dread inside her own spark… it seemed that she felt the opposite, as her tears began to flow freely.

_Hotshot… you were able to save me at first meeting… there was so much I could do to repay you… what could I say? Why… why couldn't I protect… I wish to protect you… but now… _

The sadness and guilt inside her began to change. Instantly her fist began shaking, and that emotions somehow started to churn inside her mainframe. Something began to spark.

"You wanted me to live in happiness… but it isn't… the same without you… please…" she murmured. Her frame was now shaking with the emotions channelled inside. It was then that her sadness slowly turned in anger. It was almost as if the anger has lead her into a trance.

For a few seconds, it seemed that time has stopped on the battlefield. But that was when the phoenix let loose a mournful scream of rage. Somehow, an angry, flame-like aura blew almost everybody back. The force was so powerful it was even seen by Megatron and Optimus, in which the former smirked, "Interesting light show. But we might as well continue on our part of the line-up." Even the kids and their Minicons wondered what was going on.

At the flyers' spot, it seemed that things were going to get quite ugly indeed as the flyers felt the power surge. The lighter ones especially felt the effect most of all, as Squawktalk quickly made his link with Soundwave. "Awk! This is Squawktalk, we're going to need back-up, and pronto!"

But other than the words he said, he was interrupted by the sound of jet thrusters roaring. Squawktalk turned just in time to see an enraged Aura, whose optics were no longer her normal blue, but has now changed into an angry crimson. Her face was somewhat in a blank state but her spark still pulsated with the inner rage inside. With breakneck speed, most of her weapons were focused on the air squadron, firing away. Most of the larger Decepticons were able to avoid the barrage, but while they were able to do so, Squawktalk and Ratbat were blown away by the sonic boom, and were sent spiralling down. It somehow became much more powerful than her usual sonic boom, as if heat was added to the explosion.

Tusklaw was just managing to give Hotshot some recovery time when he noticed the explosion. Inside his worn mainframe, he saw that her rage and the pain blinded her. "So she thought Hotshot was terminated, but he's still functioning. But how is she going to snap out of her rage in time?" As Blurr transformed into vehicle mode, he couldn't help but notice the mammoth's sagging frame. "At least she's giving us a fighting chance now. Are you sure you'll be able to handle things by yourself? You don't look so good."

"Don't worry about me," came the reply, as he felt the downside of his healing capabilities. "It'll take a lot more than just a power drain to stop me, considering I healed Aura before the fight. Optimus would need your help, so take Hotshot and go!"

"So Aura is fighting for me… but should we help?" murmured Hotshot. Then he recognised something as he transformed into vehicle mode. "That's right, we better go help Optimus!"

"Why don't you take the lead, right?" replied the sniper as he too switched to vehicle mode. _I should have stayed in bed…_

Over where Tarantulas and Shatterbelt were knocked out, Scavenger, Red Alert, Smokescreen and Wipeout noticed that something else was at hand while watching the dogfight in the sky. Thanks to Smokescreen's senses, he could tell something is up as he began running out into the open. "And here I thought I was reckless! Sis may pack a heck of a wallop right now, but she's gone berserk! I better go and help, so wish me luck!"

Even a quick blast from Starscream's Null Laser Cannons failed to faze her as she rocketed past the beams. As she flew towards him, he had a feeling that when she was under stress, that was when her fighting spirit soared. He did not have time to contemplate that, as he was barely able to avoid the flying Maximal. Unfortunately for Cyclonus, he wasn't as lucky as Aura suddenly grabbed him, and sent him down on a kamikaze dive. As they plummeted down, an immense amount of energy was gathered inside her fist as she slammed the Decepticon into the ground, knocking him into stasis lock. Not only that, nine powerful fireballs surrounded her as the spot cracked as a result of the impact.

"Um, does this move remind you of something out of the old Mega Man X series?" asked Billy curiously as they continued to watch the battle go on from HQ. "I think that move's Rakuhouha or something," replied Carlos. "But I never thought Maximals could do cool stuff like that dude!"

(When it comes to the fighting techniques of Cybertronians, you'll never know what creativity they would use.) Spoke out Grindor with interest. (Somehow, that technique, she was able to utilise it in the nick of time.)

_So that's her fighting potential, _thought Bladestriker as she witnessed the power at hand from her position. _How she could unleash a Rakuhouha Nishiki even when she's untrained… that really is something. But she couldn't keep fighting like this, not when her judgement's clouded! _

Turning towards her next target, Aura set her sights now on Starscream, who was amazed and shocked at her newfound power. _How was she able to do that? Before she was banished that brat preferred to be on computers than on the battlefield. Could the humiliation she felt in the past somehow give her a power boost? I think I might have underestimated her a bit… but I'll let her power boost end with a sudden halt! _

The last thought came when he detected a presence on his side, also prepared to fire. He only had a few minutes to power up his twin cannons to maximus before the phoenix could take him out with the same attack. Because she was blinded by her rage, she seemed to have disregarded her safety, in which they could use it to their advantage. With that, both weapons fired. However, before the beams could make contact, someone quickly shifted Aura out of the way, teleporting her into a safer position. At the same time, a charged laser shot smashed into Starscream, sending him towards the ground. Only the mysterious entity was still airborne, as he knew he was the only air warrior remaining.

As soon as the two warriors landed on the ground, Aura's optics morphed back into its electric blue as she regained her senses. Her look was suddenly of confusion as to what happened to her after she snapped. "Uh… what did I do… how did I get…" Her murmuring suddenly stopped as she saw that Bladestriker saved her. What was even more shocking was that her left optic was slightly cracked as a result, though the assassin tolerated the pain quite calmly.

"Master! Your optic…"

A deep sign came over the assassin as she lifted her fist, striking the Maximal on her head, something she didn't expect, as the phoenix yelped in surprise, "Wha… what did you do that for!"

"You whelp. In case you didn't realise, no matter how powerful you become, without a strategy, you're going to be terminated!" Some of the amazed Autobots watched on, wondering about the sudden anger the assassin unleashed. "It seems you have potential, I understand that, but if you didn't think carefully while you're in what Hotshot would have called, 'Red-Eyed Express', enemies would take advantage of your situation, and even I would have beaten you with no trouble. Also, there is a good reason why Soundwave deployed Beastbox for a reason."

"I'm sorry. It's just that I wanted to prove you that I would be worthy of being your student, but all I did was get Hotshot terminated!"

"Terminated? As far as I'm concerned, he's still functional, so why don't you take a look?" The sound of the speeding vehicles were enough to snap Aura to attention, as to her relief, Hotshot was alive. "Thank goodness he's alright… but you said that Beastbox's mobilised, right?"

"That was the reason why I teleported out of harm's way, because since you're fighting at full power but with no strategy, it's the reason why Soundwave deployed the purple monkey in the first place. Look over there," At Bladestriker's words, they quickly veered away from another sonic blast just as noticed the new Deception. The figure turned out to be warrior now equalling the size of the larger combatants. From the look of things, Squawktalk formed the legs and the lower torso, while the being known as Beastbox transformed into the upper torso, arms and a humanoid head with a faceplate. In short, this was the duo's combined form, Squawkbox, and he now took pursuit of the speeding vehicles while he had the chance. "Thanks to Smokescreen's aim, we should have a fighting chance now, but Squawkbox wouldn't be easy to take out even your current power levels."

"Then we got to prevent him from interfering somehow! Do you have any bright ideas yet?" demanded Aura, as she was still concerned about Hotshot even though he and Blurr were speeding away from Squawkbox with difficulty.

As quick as her swordsmanship, her processor already came up with some information. "I believe you have to expect the unexpected, right?"

"This is no time for your philosophical ideas, but what do you mean but that?"

"Look over there." Came the reply, as a second later, they heard a scream. To Aura's shock and to Bladestriker's composure, Squawkbox had somehow split back into Squawktalk and Beastbox by a charged shot, which sent the parrot and the ape spiralling down. As equally shocked as Aura, even Hotshot wanted to know. "Whoa! Who did that?"

"No idea. All I know is it's usually hard to take Frankenstein down so easily. I can't image who would defeat him this easily, but there's no time to stick around to find out!" replied Blurr, as they didn't stop to find out. Unbeknownst to them, a snickering Sideways was hiding behind a hidden formation; his head back to his normal yellow while both Rook and Crosswise looked on. Strangely enough, his wrist-mounted laser was smoking as a result of a charged stun laser bolt, which was aimed at the waist of the Cassetticon gestalt. But whatever intention he had, he allowed to play a gambit in hope that the Autobots and Maximals would succeed this time. "Heh. They never saw what hit them. I'll leave the rest up to you."

_Back to Prime and Megatron… _

Things weren't looking too good for the Autobot leader now, who was still coming in terms of the situation. Most of his weapon systems have been damaged because of the immense power of the Dark Sabre. In addition, he was cornered at a wide ravine, too wide for the even the strongest Autobot to cross over to the other side.

"It looks like you boys and girls have been busy," chuckled the Decepticon leader, as he prepared the corrupted sword for the final blow. After a million years since the Great War ignited, Megatron could achieve victory at last. "Ah, but alas… this is the end for you." Even though damaged and cornered against the ravine edge by the megalomaniac, Optimus would need more than just an opportunity to snag either one of the weapons from his grasp as he defiantly stood his ground. But a sigh of relief escaped from his faceplate when Hotshot's voice called out, "Optimus!" as reinforcements came just in time.

"Hope you haven't given up on us!"

"Sorry we're late sir! We ran into some interference with Soundwave's Air Squadron!" added Blurr as he and the former put their plan into action by circling around Megatron. As strong as Megatron was with both weapons in his grasp, he couldn't concentrate on the main target at hand with two speedsters distracting.

"You think you could interrupt me that easily, you annoying little half-wits? I think your luck's about to…" But he was soon interrupted when Optimus saw his chance and tried to wrestle the Abyssal Shield out of his grasp. In a strange turn of events, while he was doing it, the shield began to flicker between its corrupted state and its true form. "Why you insolent pile of slag! Let go of my shield now!" he yelled, as he struggled to hold on. Unfortunately, things were going to get worse for Megatron as a voice yelled, "KUZU RYU SEN!"

Too late, the feeling of dread came over to him as he recognised the attack being called out. With a sudden roar of pain, the Decepticon leader was struck violently as his defences were successfully breached at last. To make matters worse, the attack utilised by Bladestriker hit all nine vital points of his armoured frame, causing him to cough out mech-fluid in the process. In the confusion, the Abyssal Shield slipped out of his grip as it morphed back into the Skyboom Shield. He could only stand and watch in shock and anger as the combined Minicon weapon disappeared into the gorge below.

"No!" But it was too late as now that he was holding one of the weapons, the Dark Sabre converted back to its normal colours as the Star Sabre. Not only that, Bladestriker has her twin katana blades at ready, both glowing in their familiar green glow. Aura however, wasn't with her, as she had to assist Tusklaw. "Still feeling lucky Megatron? It seems that you don't have the potential to wield both weapons in your grasp, let alone using them for your own twisted desires."

His mood already changed from frustration and to immense anger as he saw that another femme already bested him again. "I don't need both weapons to take down a shape-shifting witch like you easily! You'll pay for interfering with me for the last time!" Blinded by his anger, he charged at the assassin, not knowing that he was about to be bested. While he was being distracted, Sparkplug took the opportunity to appear at Optimus' side.

"Sparkplug?" asked Optimus in surprise. But the Minicon didn't reply as he was in a trance. A gold aura began to surround him as below the ravine, the Skyboom Shield began to resonate with the Minicon's spell. "Lock onto shield…"

Frustrated at Bladestriker's taunting, Megatron's concentration waned as he continued missing her as she continually switched through a cycle of elemental forms. His armour now had multiple cuts as a result of the assassin's onslaught, and at one point, the anti-matter cannon barrel was sliced off in the process. When he noticed the sudden flash of light at the corner of his optic, he decided to take the chance to eliminate Optimus now. "I have bigger fish to fry in case you haven't noticed, girlie. And now that I see that both Minicon and Autobot reunited…" he finally smirked in anticipation, "…I can DESTROY THEM BOTH AT ONCE!" he yelled, as he began charging towards the seemingly helpless duo.

"Brace yourself, Sparkplug!" cried Optimus as Megatron charged in madly, his judgement forgotten. Positioning the grip into a two-handed blow, the Decepticon swung the Star Sabre down. It was almost if life was flashing within Optimus' memory banks. But the flashbacks didn't come…

And a bright light was flashing in front of the Autobot leader and his Minicon companion. To theirs and Megatron's surprise, the Skyboom Shield protected the duo from being sliced into ribbons. A brilliant light was emitting from both weapons, and as the combatants watched, the light suddenly flew up into the sky as if it was a beacon to the entire universe. Even the kids and their Minicons had to cover their sight at the immensely awesome spectacle. Everybody of astonished as they watched the scene unfold, except maybe Soundwave, who detected a Minicon panel nearby that reacted to the glow.

"Strange…" murmured Tomoyo as the glow slowly began to subside. "It feels like… déjà vu…" Carlos couldn't help but exclaim, "What's that light?"

"I don't know," replied an astonished Rad, "But it looks like the light we saw before. Hey guys, remember the time when we first met High Wire?"

It was Alexis that piped in, "It was the same light that brought Optimus Prime and the other Autobots out into the desert." The room was filled with silence afterwards, as the members within the vicinity were able to adjust their sight now that the glow subsided.

The first thought that came to Megatron's mind was to finish things. But he knew that if he attacked, an Autobot like Bladestriker would not let him go alive. "What in the Allspark is happening! You may have the Skyboom Shield, but not for very long, my unworthy opponent!" And in frustration, he, the Decepticons and Predacons departed the battlefield. Afterwards, Optimus couldn't help but think, _I wonder, maybe the intense power was generated when the Star Sabre and the Skyboom Shield was used against each other. _

"Optimus, is everything all right, sir?" called Hotshot as he, Blurr and Bladestriker met up with their leader.

"Yes, I'm fine. How are the others?" He got his answer as he saw Tusklaw and Aura supporting each other, and Smokescreen, Scavenger, Red Alert and Wipeout met up with him. "We're okay," groaned Tusklaw, as he still felt the effect of the drain. "That's one intense battle I wouldn't be deleting anytime soon from my memory banks."

"After all," added Scavenger, "we were trained by the best."

"Well it looks like the good guys won again, huh Scavenger?" asked Smokescreen, with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Optimus sir, nice job on capturing the Skyboom Shield," commented Red Alert. "If it was kept in Decepticon hands any longer, things could have gotten even nastier."

"I couldn't have done it without you men." Smiled Optimus, as he was glad that fight was over for now. He then turned towards Wipeout, who was smiling serenely at the victory. "Interestingly enough sir, even though it didn't look like it, Aura helped us come through."

"Really? I was wondering why Soundwave's troopers failed to prevent you from assisting me. How did you do it, Aura?"

A strawberry-coloured blush came over the phoenix as the Maximal tried to find the words. "I guess that somehow, my mind just snapped. I was worried that Hotshot would be terminated, so worried to the point that my sub-consciousness took over… I just…" Aura quickly turned towards Hotshot. "I feel… guilty for you risking your life to save me again… I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't worry Aura," comforted Hotshot. "What matters is that we secured the shield. We all came though as far as I'm concerned, all thanks to you!"

"Thank you, but like Optimus said, I couldn't have made it by myself. I got Bladestriker and my big brother to thank you…" Unfortunately, before she was able to finish, stasis lock took over, and she slumped into Hotshot's arms. Smokescreen gave a warm smile as he replied, "For a kid, my little sister really does have a huge heart after all." Bladestriker didn't say anything, but she nodded in agreement. Inside, she did sense something inside the teenager.

Tusklaw, who was supported by Scavenger, said, "Who would have thought that one of our fledglings was able to show the Decepticons and Predacons what we got? But at the same time, we all did a good job out there. Now who wants to head back to the CR Chambers?"

The entire army nodding, they then warped back to base with the now-acquired Skyboom Shield, where a hero's welcome would await them, courtesy of the cheering kids and Minicons.

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"BLAST THOSE PERPLEXING AUTOBOTS AND MAXIMALS!" roared Megatron once they were back at base. He did quite a good job suppressing his fury when they left, but now he was back at the base, his mainframe snapped as the entire base literally rumbled with the roar. Not even the ailing soldiers in their CR Chambers were blocked from the anger, as the chambers vibrated with the echo. The Decepticons and Predacons were able to keep their mouths shut for now, as they knew that the leader would blast them into slag if they made one false move.

The Decepticon leader angrily sat down on his throne as he mused over the events after his recovery. The outcome has definitely changed everything now that the Autobots and Maximals were in possession of the Skyboom Shield. He cursed himself for not listening to Sideways and Tarantulas' words of caution. But most of all, he cursed himself for failing time and time again by the Autobots and Maximals. But it wasn't all a failure as his army collected a few more Minicons while he was still basking in glory.

He was about to doze off when a familiar monotone voice murmured, "Megatron, sir."

"What is it now Soundwave? If you have any good news to share with me, they better be worth my time. If not, I'll scrap you for you minions' incompetence."

"On the contrary, it should interest you," bowed Soundwave as his chest cavity opened up again. "Ravage, eject. Bring out the Minicon panel." At his words, a black cassette tape opened up, as it converted into a robotic black panther with a missile mounted on each hindquarter. The small Decepticon brought out the panel and placed it on the throne armrest, where it was picked up by Megatron, who patted it with amusement. When Megatron opened it up, the Minicon panel became a heavily armed robot with a scheme of a dark metallic green and metallic blue, with red indents. Most likely, the Minicon was of an army general by the look of his build, and his alternate mode seemed to be that of a missile carrier by the red missile he carried. His singled-gold optics flashed open on his horned head as he came online. He wondered how he got there, and now he was staring at the face of one of the most fearsome warriors on Cybertron.

"Hm, so this 'decisive battle' wasn't all a complete loss after all. Well then, at least I can be satisfied with what we got, so good job, Soundwave," The Communications Officer and Ravage bowed as Megatron now turned towards the Minicon. "Now then, what is your name?"

(Mega-Octane at your service sir. My functions – tactics, long-range bombardment and frontline combat.)

"Excellent." Came the reply as an evil smile appeared on the Decepticon leader's face. As he mused about the events, he couldn't help but think that obtaining a new prize was better than nothing at all…

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The CR Chamber hummed for a few minutes when it finally opened, exposing Aura to the light. It was amazing to her how the wonders of technology would be able to successfully be utilised especially in medical purposes. While inside the CR Chamber, Aura wondered about the sudden burst of power she unleashed during the fight. Come to think of it, that was the second time she unleashed her fury. But every time she thought about it, she often worried whether she was able to control that power. But right now… there was Bladestriker to think about.

A flash of blue later, Aura's optics lit up as she came back online. When the CR Chamber opened up, she saw Bladestriker mediating on the floor, her armour covering her once again. When her own aquamarine optics flashed online, her armour unravelled itself.

"Oh? Um, where you waiting for me? I thought it's not like you."

An amused chuckle came out again as a response. "Normally I wouldn't do something like that. But in this case… I just thought I might strike a conversation with you."

"Really?" replied Aura, surprised at the thought. "But what happened to the others?"

"They were having a little victory party. For all I'm interested in, one of the humans really does have a talent of cooking. I can smell it from here. But no matter the enjoyment, I'm not much of the social kind; the insanity can get out of control."

"But as Red Alert mentioned, it's good to have a little downtime to clear your mainframes a bit. If not, you could loose sight of things. Quit acting like a social misfit for once and maybe join it! There's enough Energon for all!"

"Thank you for offering, but I'll pass. But just for a little information, it seems that not only the party was for obtaining the Skyboom Shield, but also that the one called Tomoyo will be having a tutor teach her. And speaking of 'teach', I thought I came to talk to you about today's battle."

_This isn't about me rushing into the enemy head-on was it? _She thought, as she shuddered to think. Instead, the assassin asked, "It's not look everyday a fledgling would be able to learn a high-levelled technique like Rakuhouha, but how were you able to do it?"

The Transmetal phoenix took a deep breath, and spoke out, "It just suddenly popped out into my head or something… I don't know how. Like I mentioned before, the rage and my subconsciousness was somehow able to allow me to learn that technique, but I thought it was one that you have to train for a long time."

"You got a point there, Maximal. In the ways of my late master, the Rakuhouha was a technique ancients would have taken many years or months to learn. One has to concentrate on gathering energy and channelling it into your fist. It's perfect against a multiple swarm of enemies when the fireballs were used on the ground, but then there's the aerial version, the Nishiki, that you just used today. It's amazing on how you were able to utilise the skill even if you didn't know the Isshiki first of all. But at the time when you went out of control since of Hotshot being seemingly terminated, Squawkbox would have taken advantage of the situation, if Smokescreen and I have not intervened. You still have a long way to go before you could impress me."

"Then that means…" shivered Aura, as her fist was shaking. "Does that mean… I failed?"

The all-too-familiar smirk appeared on Bladestriker's face again. 'No you didn't. You were able to take out most of Soundwave's air squadron almost single-handedly. Firstly, all you need to do now to continue learning the Rakuhouha without being consumed by your rage. And secondly, one of your fireballs was somehow able to crack my optic in the process, though it's healed right now. It may be accidental, but a hit's a hit. I guess Prime was right; you really do have some potential. Here you go." With that, she twirled a familiar Cybertronian tiara, which plopped onto Aura's head.

"Wait a minute… is this…"

"Yep. Now you're graduated from stupid avian to stupid apprentice now."

A sense of excitement whelmed up inside the Cybertronian teenager as she saw that she finally succeeded. After all the pain, the attempts, and the battle, it seemed that it was finally worth it as Aura couldn't help but cry happily. Next thing you noticed…

"Thank you so much Mistress!" she sobbed as she attempted to give Bladestriker a hug. Unfortunately, that caused a scowl to appear on the Cybertronian McLaren's face as she quickly sidestepped, allowing the phoenix to embed herself into the hallway. "Not into hugging women, sorry. Don't jump at me like that again, stupid apprentice," She then noticed a tap as she noticed the fellow Race Team Minicon, Dirt Boss, who was suddenly picked up by the assassin. "And what were you running away like that from?"

"Those sooks wanted me to have a bath!"

"No offence. You probably stank up Decepticon/Predacon HQ considering you didn't have a routine maintenance check before you left Cybertron. It's about time you get your systems checked, Dirt ball," The said Minicon was now struggling and attempting to flick bits of caked-on oil residue at Bladestriker, but while she shifted to her darkness form, it just proved ineffective. It was then that Mirage, Downshift, Liftor and Longarm came up. "You don't mind if we have Dirt Boss back, would you?"

"Do whatever you like to him." Came the reply, as she chuckled while Dirt Boss was dragged screaming into the Maintenance Area of the base. Aura, who just managed to free herself from the wall, enquired, "That was Dirt Boss screaming, was it? But just for once, can't you let loose for a while, Mistress? There's also some good quality oil on Earth, even though it isn't Maccadams' quality."

"Well since you politely asked… I guess it wouldn't hurt to join. And also… call me Shishou from now on." replied the assassin, with a somewhat sarcastic tone. As Aura headed towards the main control room for the little party, Bladestriker couldn't help but think. _Training from now on wouldn't be so easily. But all the same, I have a nagging feeling that this fledgling will become a capable fighter. She's very much like a prototype Golden Disk; she may be rough on the surface or so… with a few adjustments, she will shine, like a fully evolved Autobot or Maximal warrior someday. _Chuckling, she too headed towards the control room.

Well, maybe a little sip of Earth's oil wouldn't hurt.

New Decepticons: Soundwave, Squawktalk & Beastbox (Squawkbox), Ratbat, Fractyl, and Ravage

New Minicons: Rumble, Frenzy, Dark Sabre, Abyssal Shield, and Mega-Octane

**Decepticon Identification**

Name: SOUNDWAVE  
Faction: DECEPTICON  
Alternate Form: Portable CD Stereo Player/Cybertronian M93A1 NBC Reconnaissance System  
Minicon Partners: RUMBLE & FRENZY  
Function: Communications Officer  
Quote: "Cries of pain are music to my ears,"

One of Megatron's right-handed men. Cool and calm, SOUNDWAVE is a loyal DECEPTICON who will sometimes fight to the bitter end. He was most likely one of the most powerful Decepticons, considering his array of abilities. He could transmit almost any kind of radio or ultra sonic frequency you can imagine, including limited telekinetic powers. He could record several types of data on his mini-cassette soldiers. His reverb-effect-laden voice was the voice of reason among the warriors, yet he was even despised by most of them. But that doesn't stop here: He not only carries RUMBLE and FRENZY along, but also his own variety of warriors. Unfortunately, he sometimes winds up in a sort of rivalry with THRUST because the DECEPTICON jet was unable to manipulate the cunning commando. But nevertheless, just because he was one of the most hated doesn't mean he was in THRUST'S league. Overall, he is one of the most dangerous DECEPTICON warriors of the force, and a powerful adversary to AUTOBOT and MAXIMAL alike.

Strength - 10.0  
Intelligence - 9.5  
Speed - 3.6  
Endurance - 7.9  
Rank - 8.0  
Courage - 9.0  
Fireblast - 9.5  
Skill - 10.0

_To be continued… _

FG: I wasn't so sure how I was to co-ordinate the fight scene, but I guess I might as well submit ASAP. Probably the plot of this chapter was not only to obtain the Skyboom Shield, but also to give Aura a chance to prove to Bladestriker that she would be worthy as her pupil. To add a bit of a twist, I thought I'd include the Star Sabre and Skyboom Shield's evil counterparts while at the same time giving the shield a name.

Unfortunately, if I was to do the chapter based on the episode, 'Vow', I might have run into a bit of trouble in developing it. You see, I overslept on particular morning and I only managed to start recording at the bit where the Street Action Minicons meet up with the kids to explain the message. If possible, would anyone like to tell me what happened in the first half, or maybe a transcript? Unfortunately, since pages are being repaired at the moment, the script was gone.

And now… the Japanese terminology!

**Rakuhouha **– Fallen Phoenix Crush. Fans who played Rockman/Mega Man X4 and Zero 3 would recognise this attack, in which the user gathers a vast amount of energy in his or her fist. The user then punches into the ground, launching nine powerful fireballs in a 180-degree arc around him/her. I made this one into the **Isshiki **– First Stance, while I created the offshoot modification, **Nishiki** – Second Stance, one for an aerial attack.

**Kuzu Ryu Sen** – Nine-Headed Dragon Flash. One of my favourite moves from Rurouni Kenshin. Like its namesake, this attack allows the user to strike at the nine vital points of the target, making it almost impossible to dodge or avoid the attack. I simply modified the move with an air-dash Bladestriker would use. The nine vital points of swordsmanship would include the head, the shoulders, the arms, the legs, the groin, and the chest.

Well now that's the explanation done, I can finally update after so long! But who knows considering of life nowadays? Still, I'll try to continue updating as soon as I can! Jya ne! This is Final Genesis, signing out!

P.S: Read and Review!


	11. Sanctuary, Part 1

Final Genesis: Let's see how long it's been – hm, five months since my last Transformers update eh? How I wish I could be able to keep up, but ah well, better late than never, right? I hope Christmas had gone well for you all, as went New Year too! Now that we're in the year of 2007, there's going to be some new changes.

One example in fact is that since of the amount of time I take to update, they'll be no longer any review replies displayed. Since there was the time I nearly took a year to update on my last chapter, I thought it would be better not to stress you all. There's also the fact I tweaked some of the events in various chapters so it can flow consistently with the Armada timeline.

Oh and before I set off the disclaimer, I thought I'd do a little measurement for Cybertronians. Here they are:

A "Nano-Klik" is a second.  
A "cycle" is a minute.  
A "breem" is approx. 8.3 earth minutes.  
A "Mega-cycle" is an hour.  
A "stellar cycle" is a year.  
A "deca-cycle" is a decade.

Now for the disclaimer!

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. I also do not own Beast Wars. The only characters I own are the ones that I made. This time, the chapter is set between the episodes, 'Decisive Battle' and 'Vow'.

And now, the saga continues… and you may find this chapter familiar…

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 11: Sanctuary, Part 1**

In a particular location like the Himalayas, it is one of many locations where mystery has occurred in the past. Chilling winds of up to about minus 20 degrees and below swirled around the snow-capped formations of rock, especially with the debris flying about. Many inhabitants who lived within the area knew the events well – the forces of nature were continually shaping the region ever since the Himalayas originated beneath the sea. Even the Yeti, wherever it was, probably knew about the ever-changing geography as the mountains slowly rose higher, all because of 40 million years ago, the Earth's crust gradually buckled and uplifted to form the area in the first place. In the aforementioned number of years ago, India collided with Asia.

But whatever was going on recently, it wasn't just the Yeti that caused the animals to be spooked. Something else was at work, and it wasn't natural. And sooner or later… the peace will be shattered…

"By Primus, what the slag's happening?!" yelped Tusklaw as he felt the earth rumble under his elephantine feet. "I don't remember the Himalayas being a volcanic area!" It was quite unusual that the area would be unstable when the region was not near the Ring of Fire. Even so, the Maximal templar/scientist was currently swatting away most of the falling debris with his mammoth trunk.

(No they aren't, besides the occasional avalanche,) agreed Ice Freeze as he monitored the situation. (But explain why we have Rad and Alexis with us?) he asked, indicating the two children and their Minicons, who were sheltering under the Maximal's bulk. Alexis couldn't help but wince as another boulder hit the mammoth's head, luckily not landing on the occupants below or knocking him into stasis lock. "Our teacher partnered us for a project on the Himalayas, but even though I didn't expect this to happen, I always wanted to see this area up close and personal."

"But who would have thought that our group assignment could turn into a scavenger hunt?" added Rad as he looked around. "So far I don't see any signs of a Minicon signal anywhere."

(Something else is up,) Began High Wire. (The Minicon signal seemed to be practically moving. But I thought it was in a stationary spot like most of the other panels we found.)

(Well for one thing, there's interference. There's normally not much of it involved on most of our searches, but somehow, that interference is moving. As much as I like to split up just to cover more ground Tusklaw, we have to stick together.) Concluded Sureshock.

The mammoth Maximal agreed while rubbing his head in pain at the same time with his trunk. "We were the closest units near the area of the sighting Red Alert noted. Even though humans have explored this place before, there is still something that seems… unnatural around here. I guess there are still some unsolved mysteries that surround this planet. Ah well, if the interference clears up, we'll go make our report." After allowing the humans and Minicons to hop on to his back, he then set off to a suitable place for his communication with Autobot/Maximal HQ. But as luck had it… they weren't alone, and as the clouds cleared, three familiar shapes followed, unnoticed.

"Don't look now," cackled Cyclonus, as he Starscream and Waspinator were sent to the area as well. "But we got one large slab of mammoth meat ahead, along with three Minicons and two of the brats!"

"Oooo, Wazpinator lovez it when prey can't shoot back!" added Waspinator with excitement, as he transformed into vehicle mode. "Then I guess it's time to give old Tusklaw and friends a hunt - with good old automatic weapons!" concluded Starscream, as the two Decepticons and Predacons headed towards their next target.

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_Let's see…_ Red Alert began as he and Longarm got to work modifying the base's systems. _If having to improve the Minicon shelters and the base, I guess it would be best to fit a few more in just in case of attack._ _But I need the necessary parts once again for it… _Even though Sentinel was active for the time being, he still felt it was good to have a backup system as a precaution. In addition, he was also working on something else too. And even though Billy and Fred promised to keep their secret after stumbling upon it, Red Alert knew not to take any more risks to attract unwanted attention to the humans. _Still, it would be nice if either Tusklaw or Aura would be here… _

"Hey Red Alert, whatcha' doing?" replied Carlos, as he entered the control room, along with Grindor. Calmly, the medic turned around to face him. "Right now I'm trying to see if we could improve the base defences. But right now, it seems we're short of parts at the moment since the supply of useful resources are almost used up from the ship remains."

Although the Hispania boy wasn't much of a thinker, he came up with solution. "You know… maybe I forgot to mention it to you… I used to work with Rad and Alexis on a project called Project Supernova; using the parts from a junkyard my dad works at. If Grindor and I can help, we can be able to sneak a few parts in for you. It's just that it's almost quiet around without Rad and Alexis at the moment."

"Thank you for offering Carlos," smiled the medic gratefully, as he knew that as part of the team, the humans were of a great asset. "It may be wise for me to accompany you just in case for transport." Just before he was about to leave, Tusklaw's voice called out off screen. "This is Tusklaw to HQ, do you copy? Please respond!"

Despite the static, Red Alert was able to open up a link. "I hear you, Tusklaw. What's the situation?"

"Practically zilch. I don't know why, but somehow, the Minicon signal seems to be blipping out of synch from the scanners. We looked everywhere and yet there was no sign of life out there."

"And on top of that," added Alexis, "What's also strange enough is that the signal is moving out of sight. As far as we know from combing the area, we can't seem to get a lock on it."

There was a few seconds of silence as the Autobot medic thought up another option. "Maybe there's still another area you haven't searched thoroughly yet. But just in case, I'll send Aura in to assist." Unfortunately the internal computer inside Tusklaw sounded out a warning, which was the same time High Wire sighted something over the horizon. (You better send her in now, because we got incoming flyers at twelve and closing in!) And as his warning sounded, a pair of Sidewinder missiles fired by Starscream exploded near the group, showering them with snow everywhere. Laughing insanely, the trio of flyers automatically transformed into robot mode and already initiated their assault.

Irritably wiping snow off his frame, Ice Freeze shouted out, (Isn't there any cover for the kids to hide in!? We're at a tactical disadvantage right now!)

"No choice!" yelled back Tusklaw, as several rounds of his Cryo-Grenades were fired out, along with the combined burst of machine gun fire. "Use what you can to protect yourselves! But here's a temporary something that should help!" Instantly, he threw a familiar blue orb at the kids and their Minicon companions, as a spherical defence matrix surrounded them. "It should move along with all of you while it's active, so go! But don't any of you go out of it!"

With no other option, the kids and their Minicons took cover as the exchange of firepower escalated. Against two Decepticons and one Predacon, Tusklaw would be mainly at a disadvantage because he was never the type to go on the offensive, and that the flyers already have their sky to manoeuvre as part of their element. But besides his heavy armour, he too has an advantage as he suddenly called out, "ICE FREEZE – POWERLINK!"

In response to the command, the snowmobile quickly powerlinked with Tusklaw, sliding into a hidden compartment in his back. When the power took effect, the mammoth head split into two, with the inside halves swivelling to the front. When they faced forward, each half has revealed a circular turbine built into it, as if they were designed to generate powerful wind energy. As if on cue, the blades began to whirl at full force when the Maximal called out, "ICE STORM!"

As the turbines increased speed, the snow began to swirl at full power. Seconds later, Tusklaw let loose a powerful burst of ice and wind, and a powerful tornado swirled with full force. It was also a good thing that the kids and their Minicons were at a safe distance away, because the tornado swept through the barrage of missiles and lasers. Before the trio knew it, they were caught inside the whirlwind as they spiralled out of control.

Unfortunately, before the tornado was unleashed, Starscream already charged up his Null Laser Cannons to full power. And not only was the charging sequence completed, when he got caught up inside the tornado, the combined forces of the ice and snow caused him to misfire, as the twin beams to connect to a nearby summit. What happened next would cause a high adrenaline rush.

The impact of the lasers already began an avalanche, in which the wave of ice and snow steadily began to gain speed upon its terrifying descent. And worse of all, Tusklaw realised, it was heading right in the direction of the kids and the Minicons! _By the Allspark, _groaned the mammoth, _why must someone throw a monkey wrench into fate? _With no other option, he quickly grabbed the protective orb, and began running in the opposite direction. Regrettably, he was not built for speed, as the incoming wave was catching up to him. Up ahead, there were no other options as the Maximal saw that they were heading towards…

(A cliff edge? Are you trying to get us killed?!) Yelped Sureshock as their giant friend headed toward it. "You think I'd run towards it without a backup plan, Sureshock?" replied Tusklaw as he prepared his chain mace. Before they got their answer, he leapt off the plateau, and whirling around, he set his plan into motion. With his left hand holding his precious cargo, his right hand quickly sent the spiked ball right on the ledge, the spikes digging into the snow just in time as the wave swept over them. Unfortunately, the mammoth Maximal was now face two problems: One, the attacking flyers were about to go for another round, and two, the grip of the mace was about to loosen gradually.

But unbeknownst to the combatants, an unusual anomaly has suddenly decided to make its appearance. A formation, which resembled a low flying cloud, somehow flew towards the cliff face where the heroes were at the moment. As it flew, it somehow shifted near the rocky wall, so close that the friction caused a few fragments of rock to fall. And not only that, the same friction was causing the cliff point to separate.

But there was no time to lose as Tusklaw saw that the flyers have unleased another barrage. Quickly scanning the cloud, he saw that not only it provided excellent cover… it was not a cloud at all. "Not that I wanted to do this, ladies and gentlemen – but hold on!"

A gulp has already surfaced out of Alexis's throat. "Oh no… don't tell me we're going to juuuuummmmmmmmpppppppppp!!!!!!" she screamed, as the missiles and lasers made contact, combined with the wave of snow, which finally loosened the chain mace. With that, the whole group was sent plummeting to what seemed like their doom, disappearing inside the cloud.

_Autobot/Maximal HQ…_

"Tusklaw? Tusklaw, can you hear me?" shouted Red Alert as they lost communication with the Maximal templar. Besides Carlos, Longarm, and Grindor looking at each other in worry, Optimus just managed to show up, quickly contacting Aura, who was nearly at the site. "Optimus to Aura, do you copy?"

_The Himalayas…_

Back to the flyers, they were trying to scan for any signs of wreckage from the Maximal, the Minicons or the kids. But in an odd twist of fate, there was no sign of their targets anywhere in sight. Something did not seem right to each of them. "Where'd mammoth bot go?" demanded a puzzled Waspinator as he looked around.

"Call me crazy Bugface, but I thought he and the brats fell into that cloud…" murmured Cyclonus, as he increased his scanners to maximum. As they looked around, they noticed the formation fly above them. Strangely enough, a sound of turbines were emanating from it as it flew past slowly.

"Time we found out what's going on!" replied Starscream, as he and the others transformed into vehicle/beast mode. "And concentrate all weapons fire when you see him so we can retrieve the Minicons as well!" Little did they know however, they would find a surprise waiting for them as they headed inside the cloud. It was only until after they disappeared inside, there were a few sudden flashes of light, in addition to their screams. And there… the Himalayas became quiet again.

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"Oh man, say it ain't so Aura!" groaned Carlos with concern over the com. link. "Not Rad, Alexis, Tusklaw and the Minicons!"

"I wish I refuse to confirm the worst," replied the Transmetal Phoenix worriedly as she scanned the area, circling above it in beast mode. "But no doubt this was the work of the flyers – with the craters, angle, everything. Judging by the amount of snow blown, an avalanche was caused and I don't see any signs of our friends or wreckage," Thanks to her time with the Predacons and Decepticons, Aura had slight knowledge of some of the tactics used on the battlefield. "And not only that, thanks to that snowstorm I encountered along the way, I can't seem to get a lock on our friends anywhere!" she added with frustration.

Optimus was the next to speak up. "Calm down, Aura. Try doing another recon sweep around the area. If you see any of the flyers, do not engage, understood?"

Nodding, the Maximal switched off her com. link as she prepared to do another scan. As she looked around for any signs of hope, her optics widened as she quickly hid behind a cliff wall. What greeted her was quite unexpected indeed, as she magnified her vision.

When she took a closer look, the answer came into the three smouldering forms of the flyers themselves. Normally, the two Decepticons and one Predacon would pose a threat, but in this case however, they were very much worse to wear. Judging by the amount of damage inflicted upon them, they almost looked like they were damaged almost beyond stasis lock. This was proven with Starscream and Cyclonus' major damage to their frames along with Waspinator's missing wing and a hole in his thorax. It seems that they were trying to get away from something considering their movement, when they warped back to their own base.

Interested, Aura quickly decided to warp back to base as well to make her report.

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"WHAT?!" Megatron demanded as soon as he saw the three horrendously damaged flyers in robot mode lying down in pain in front of him. "Did Tusklaw and his friends did this to you?"

All three of them shook their heads quickly. Starscream quickly began, "It wasn't just the mammoth who did it – it was some sort of monument!" That earned some nodding heads from Cyclonus and Waspinator.

With the Decepticon leader demanding answers, Cyclonus started off with, "It all started when we pursued Tusklaw and the brats, thinking that the group were eliminated. They somehow fell into a cloud, Megatron – only it's not a cloud at all…"

_Flashback begins…_

For a moment, the three flyers flew inside the cloud, still searching for their targets. It did not seem right to them as normally the victims would fall through them and land a gruesome death on the ground. However in this matter, something did not seem right, and they ventured deeper inside… they were greeted by an unusual sight.

They have just entered into the center of the cloud… and inside they found a clearing. A large island was somehow floating in the sky… that was quite remarkable indeed. Surrounded by a rocky barrier, the majority of the land was that of a tropical ecosystem, with some sort of urban area in the center. But there was no time to discuss the wonder as Cyclonus spotted Tusklaw's group, and laughed as he went into his trigger-happy vigour again, his comrades following him. Fortunately for the kids and the Minicons, they were hidden behind several boulders as their mammoth friend continued retaliating at the flyers.

But their battle was about to be interrupted as in the urban center of the island, a large structure was about to activate. An obelisk, the size of a Cybertronian skyscraper, began to glow a blue hue, as it was charging up for something. And the flyers are going to get a truly nasty surprise from it…

Seconds later, after the obelisk has finished charging, it simultaneously fired three blue beams, hitting the trio and sending them out of the island.

_Flashback ends…_

"… And by the Pit we were unable to warp out until we got away from the island… we barely made it out alive…" finished Starscream, as he, Cyclonus and Waspinator collapsed in a heap. After listening to their story, Megatron's interest sparked. "So… a flying island hm? Concealed from view, and belies a power weapon – equals usefulness. It should provide us a tactical advantage to end the Cybertronian Wars once and for all," he then turned towards the flyers' Minicon partners; "Get them to the CR (Cryogenic Restoration) Chamber at once." With the help of a few other Minicons, Swindle, Crumplezone and Shrapnel carried them off.

There was no time to waste on loosing this opportunity for power, as the Decepticon leader quickly ordered, "Tarantulas, Shatterbelt, Demolishor, Sideways, prepare for immediate departure to that flying island." At once, Leader-1 made a suggestion. (Megatron, don't you think it would be worthwhile to find out who created this place?)

"I agree with Leader-1," added Sideways. "Such an artefact would have properties unknown to the rest of us."

"Unlike the incident with the Skyboom Shield, I have taken precautions – I already sent Soundwave to have a look. He should be within range right now," At once, his comlink beeped, and the familiar monotone voice sounded.

"Soundwave to Megatron, did you copy?"

"Affirmative Soundwave," replied Megatron, as his turned towards the rest of his men. "At least there are some Decepticons and Predacons who would not disappoint me." He added, referring to the flyers in the CR Chamber.

"Shall I return to base?"

"Not yet – this mysterious flying island intrigues me. Dispatch any of your flyers to investigate. And if you see Tusklaw and his friends on the island, report back at once."

"As you command, Megatron," finished Soundwave, as the communications shut off. Standing on a ledge near the battleground, his chest cavity opened up again. "Fractyl, eject. Operation, reconnaissance."

And so, the assigned group were preparing to set off for their mission. But before the four departed, Megatron quickly motioned to Shatterbelt and Demolishor, quickly whispering something on their audio receptors. Tarantulas however, has a sneaky suspicion that the Decepticon leader suspects him, but decides to play along for now.

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"Are you sure you saw them?" inquired Optimus as Aura came back for her report.

"I'm sure sir – no doubt it was Starscream, Cyclonus and Waspinator, and they are looking pretty worse to wear! Although something doesn't seem right about the damage though…"

Red Alert, who was also in the conversation, concluded, "Not Tusklaw. He's normally not the type to always go all out offensive considering his templar nature, though there are some occasions."

"In the way of strategy, he's at a disadvantage," added Bladestriker. "Considering he has two kids and three Minicons with him, it'll be trouble for him if he faces a whole bunch of Decepticons and Predacons while looking out for them at the same time." At that moment, the communications opened up, revealing Hotshot.

"And speaking of trouble, do you want the bad news, or the worse news? Because not only Tape-boy released Fractyl, Demolishor, Sideways, Tarantulas and Shatterbelt are at the scene now!"

Quickly turning to Hotshot, the Autobot leader quickly commanded, "I'll send Aura and Blurr to back you up just in case. Don't move from your position til they arrive, okay?" Hotshot's typical gung-ho reply was mentioned just as the said sniper came in. "You wanted to see me, Optimus?"

"Yes, you and Aura are to meet up with Hotshot at the Himalayas," he ordered, also adding. "Can I ask you three to follow them without the Decepticons and Predacon spotting you?"

"Count on it!" came the reply, as they transformed into their respective alternate modes (vehicle). A few clicks later, Aura and Blurr have just been sent through the warpgate, and after they were, Scavenger couldn't help but think. "Whatever's got Megatron worried, that's certainly enough to sent five of his soldiers to investigate."

"Maybe it's Alexis and the others!" replied Billy hopefully, for he was one of the people affected the most by his friends' disappearance. Even though he got over his crush on Alexis after first meeting with the Transformers, he still couldn't help feel for her safety.

"We could only hope, Billy," added Optimus grimly. "But if Tarantulas and the Decepticons reach the group first – then their chances are quite slim indeed. And I don't intend on accepting any losses."

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They never thought of laying eyes on this place at first glance.

It was only a few cycles after their attackers have been driven off. After managing to climb over the edge of land, Tusklaw, Rad, Alexis and their Minicons wondered how by some miracle, an island saved them. Laying their eyes for the first time… it was more than just a place of beauty… it was a paradise.

Part of the island was surrounded by natural flora and some fauna, like some insects and even a few birds. Native plants decorated around the border, and most of the area was of grassland. But besides the tropical ecosystem, there were also signs of technological development, like a few futuristic-looking buildings for example. There was also a dirt path that leads to a tall obelisk, which was on the center of the island. In fact, this island was a balance of the technological and organic.

Awestruck, the Maximal and his friends looked around in wonder. Alexis, for one was quite relaxed, as she then sniffed an alpine rose that was lying there. "It's beautiful… I never thought a place as peaceful as this would have existed."

Tusklaw, who was in beast mode, gazed at the area. "I agree. Truly this is a place of wonder," Smiling, he took a small sip of water and found it to be quite fresh. "I feel like this is were my spark should be."

(Although I wonder who built this in the first place.) Added High Wire as he rolled around. (Judging by how it was built must have taken a lot of teamwork. Even so, something smells familiar here.)

"Must be the kind of place you guys wanna be in right?" smiled Rad as he joined up with Alexis. Unexpectedly enough, a monarch butterfly landed on his nose, causing nearly everybody to giggle and for the boy to sneeze. It then decided to land on the Transmetal Woolly Mammoth, who calmly offered his trunk as a landing spot. Alexis then decided to answer Rad's question. "Of course – considering they were caught in the war between four factions of giant robots. But fighting aside for now, I didn't know that there's a tropical ecosystem in the Himalayas. I don't think that'll be part of our assignment anyway. Hidden from sight…" she trailed away, as the group continued to walk on.

But little did they know as they strolled through the greenery, they passed through a particularly large boulder. And they failed to see a familiar, glowing red symbol on it, when somehow; the spot they were walking on began to rock violently.

Thanks to Tusklaw's timing, he quickly managed to scoop the kids and the Minicons out of harm's way just as suddenly, a large hole opened up. If any were foolish enough to stay, that being would have fallen out of the mysterious island and into certain doom.

"…and protected from invasion too!" finished Tusklaw as he realised that somehow they triggered a trap. But they weren't out of danger yet as the earth began to shake again. And this time, they were surrounded. Suddenly, thin, armlike appendages were slowly rising from the ground. For a moment, the group wondered what it was going to do, only to see a large stone on each clawed support. With no time to lose, Tusklaw quickly yelled out, "TUSKLAW – MAXIMISE!"

With the kids rapidly getting on their steeds, who transformed to vehicle mode, and Ice Freeze powerlinking to the Maximal, they quickly began to move. As if they were catapults, the arms' bindings were released, and each stone slammed down on the ground in full force. Each of them slammed around them, causing the kids, Minicons and Maximal to dodge the crude, but deadly weapons. As they avoided the stones, Alexis was quick to notice something familiar, though the colouration was red. "Could it be… the Minicon symbol?"

But she was quickly interrupted as two more arms prepared to attack, and were unlocked from their bindings. Tusklaw was quick to shoot the first one, but wasn't quite as fast when suddenly, the second one headed right towards the girls! "NO, ALEXIS, SURESHOCK!"

Just in time however, Rad and High Wire pushed the girls and themselves out of the way as the stone slammed onto the spot near them. Sighing in relief, they were glad they were saved; another second the girls would have been pulverised by the two traps. However, escape would be hindered again as the group heard a familiar whine of a charging weapon. "What the slag…" began Tusklaw, but he was instantly interrupted when the obelisk fired a lancing blue beam of light, the same beam that shot the flyers from before. Only this time, Tusklaw quickly headed towards the kids in vehicle mode, but with the incoming beam, he wasn't so sure if he was to make it in time even with Ice Freeze powerlinked to him on his side.

All of a sudden, what looked to be a miniature SR-91 Aurora stealth jet quickly attached itself to the Transmetal Maximal. However it appeared was quite unexpected, because it wasn't detected by radar. But what it did do was give Tusklaw the speed he needed to quickly save the kids and their Minicons just in time, when the obelisk finally stopped firing. What was left of that spot were a few remaining boulders, with a few of them demolished along with additional scorch marks on the ground.

"Alexis, Sureshock! Are you both okay?"

Alexis's eyes were still closed when she thought she and her friends were done for. After hearing Rad's voice, she slowly opened her eyes… only to find herself in the arms of her saviour. Both of them instantly blushing, the brunette quickly stammered, "I-I-I'm fine, thank you!" She then hopped out of his arms, standing up and blushing immensely. Rad rubbed his head in embarrassment. "T-t-that's okay Alexis, I-I-I wouldn't want to see you harmed!"

(Either way, Tusklaw, thanks for saving us four from that beam.) Smiled Sureshock. But a look of question appeared on the Maximal, who was now in robot mode. "But that's not my top speed… who did…"

(That would be me, sir!) Replied a voice, as the six beings looked up. Floating near the tree branches was a Minicon, obviously designed for flight, with a colour scheme of red, gunmetal black and gold. His seeker like appearance and the crossing of his arms seemed to show a bit of superiority in his pose. His jet cockpit and neck became the legs and feet while the back portion had already swivelled into the upper torso. His wings were positioned upside-down to the sides of his arms, while the thrusters were somehow positioned to the back of him. Finally, a streamlined helmet protected his head, which also has a pair of red optics and a pair of winglike appendages on the sides of his helmet.

Ice Freeze couldn't help but be pleased at the sight of a new Minicon. (It seems you haven't been offline for long. Who are you?)

Saluting the group, the Minicon responded, (I only just woke up about three deca-cycles ago, slept for a few weeks before us Minis woke up. By the way, the name's Blitzwing, at your service, and I shall be your tour guide around my flying island!)

"Wait a second," exclaimed Alexis. "You mean this island was designed by the Minicons?"

(Designed by me personally.) Replied the jet with an air of self-confidence, until a ham-sized stone suddenly hit him on his head, in addition to another voice, (Egotistical idiot. Don't take all credit for yourself, Blitzwing; we had our hand building this place too!)

The group turned around to see a trio of Minicons. One of them seemed to have parts of a crane for his alternate mode – as noted by the crane cab for his chest, and the body for his arms and legs. He also wore a black helmet with a stout pair of horns on it, and has a pair of blue optics. The second robot has the alternate form of a cement mixer, as aforementioned by the cement barrel on his right arm and the cab as his feet. He also has a blue T-shaped visor on his face. The final Minicon looked to be the leader of the group – with optics of gold that showed an air of rank. He also has a backhoe loader as his alternate mode, with the rear arm as his right arm.

"Whoa, who are you guys?" asked a stunned Rad, who, like the others, saw the new team of Minicons for the first time. The backhoe loader was the first to speak. (We're the Construction Minicon Team. I'm Scrapper, team leader of this unit. I see you're meet Blitzwing and his ego here…) he trailed, indicating the now sitting jet Minicon, who was rubbing his head in pain, grumbling, (Well I wanted to attract the tourist industry…)

Scrapper then indicated the two other Minicons beside him, starting off with the crane. (This one here's Grapple,) he said, while the said Minicon did a slight bow. (And the cement mixer's Mixmaster.) Unlike Grapple, Mixmaster replied, (Honoured to meet you.) In return, Tusklaw and the others also introduced themselves.

With that, the Construction Minicon leader warmly said, (Welcome to our Flying Island! It may not look like much, but this is our intention for a sanctuary for all Minicons. And we intend to keep it away from any enemies that try to disrupt the peace.)

"That explains the traps on this island. Not only that… argh!" Tusklaw never got the chance to finish as somehow, he began to sort out as electrical fields sparkled and crackled all over his robot form, causing him tremendously large amounts of pain. "What the…"

(Sorry, I forgot to mention, its best you transform back to your alternate mode,) Apologised Scrapper. (Somehow, the Minicon ship we were on has enough resources so we were able to create Energon, but because there was too much of it including the oil utilised on ground before it's quite unstable to most races.) Without any further questions, Tusklaw switched to beast mode. "I see what you mean – my Transmetal body's somehow soaked up some radiation. Judging by the concentration of Energon, it must have been enough to power this island. How was this place built anyway?"

(I haven't been awake for long,) Began Blitzwing. (But all I know is that these three were one of the few teams who weren't locked into stasis lock upon impact. Some of the ship parts, along with the most of the cargo must have landed, and I guess the Energon affected an oil source, turning it into raw, natural Energon. With a help of a few tribes, they were able to build this paradise, but we ran out of resources. Plus there was the hindering by three Minicon criminals so they had to seal their panels away, inside this obelisk. A few cycles later, that's when the team found, my panel, as myself. This place needed a stealth cover and I was the bot to do it!)

(Well at least you were good at something, Blitzwing – besides your ego.) Sighed Mixmaster, his words stinging. (What the slag you mean by that?!) Snapped the Aurora in return.

(I'm saying, Blitzwing, besides your ego, you're the technical wizard when it comes to espionage. But what amazes me was to how you got onto the Military Command Team when you got the worst scores at military school, and that your ego got you into trouble at most.)

(Hey!)

(Knock it off, you two!) Yelled High Wire as he managed to settle the argument. (Now back to the question – you said this island was a paradise. And obviously the traps and the Energon concentration are designed for the 'Bulks'. How come us Minicons aren't affected?)

(Not that I don't trust you, but probably because since us Minicons made that Energon for the ship to carry, and before we came to Earth, we were modified to be shielded from it,) Replied Grapple. (The oil affected also became part of that Energon too, as part of the obstacles. And speaking of obstacles, it's best not to use Energon, laser or missile weapons on this island so you must be careful. And you unfortunately, you can't warp in or out of the island, or communicate as well.)

With a distant look, Tusklaw looked throughout this guarded but otherwise peaceful land. "Then for now… let us not be invaders… but visitors to the island." He didn't have enough time to muse around as he suddenly sensed something… and that something wasn't good.

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"Heeheeheeheeheehee… so this is the place," mused Tarantulas as he and his crew met up with Soundwave in the Himalayas. "Those flyers certainly lack intelligence as witnesses but their description does match it. Have you discovered what's inside the cloud yet?"

Scanning around for Fractyl, the communications officer was quick to spot them as the pterodactyl Decepticons made their way back to his master. "Report Fractyl. Show visuals."

Beaming the screen onto the nearby wall, the four Decepticons and one Predacon watched the scene. The screen showed the journey the Compacticon made as he flew into the clouds. As the clouds cleared away from screen, it showed a magnificent view, a balance of a tropical ecosystem and an urban residential area. But that's not what they were looking for, as the visuals continued. As the pterodactyl's flight continued, it came what it was looking for – a large obelisk the size of a Cybertronian building, supported by a base with staircases leading inside. Strangely enough, how it got there was quite a mystery, as it was unknown where that came from. But it was no doubt the center of power – and as an added bonus, on the side of the pyramid-shaped point was a familiar blue symbol… in fact, it was the Minicon insignia. With that in mind, Fractyl began to fly back, but not until it sighted a set of footprints – multiple sets – which could mean one thing; the humans, the Maximal and their Minicons survived. Somehow later, the screen shook, showing the Compacticon experience signs of Energon build-up. With no time to loose, he quickly rocketed back, and the film ended.

"So what was with the turbulence?" demanded Demolishor when the recording was finished.

"It means, Demolishor, we're going to have some trouble – considering that Fractyl collected the stats on the Energon on this island. And that Tusklaw and the others survived." Replied Sideways.

"Well what are we waiting for?" exclaimed Shatterbelt, who was impatient as always. "Lets just nick whatever Minicons built the island, and secure the Energon and the island for Megatron himself! Piece of cake!"

"Before you decided to get yourselves scrapped, I brought along these," interrupted Tarantulas as he produced some small microchips for the rest of the group, minus Soundwave who was ordered to return to base by Megatron. "In case of a mission involving Energon Surges, these should absorb the radiation." After giving the three some grappling guns as well, they then proceeded to boarding the island.

But their efforts did not go unnoticed when two familiar Autobots and one Maximal arrived at the scene in robot mode, clearly surprised. "What's this?" questioned Blurr as he magnified his vision. "The spider and co. manages to lasso a cloud? Strangely enough, they actually succeed for once."

"There's no time to comment the opposition Blurr!" snapped Hotshot, who was impatient as ever. "We have to follow them before they disappear inside that cloud or whatever it is."

"No choice but to follow them, Hotshot. Carefully." Finished Aura, as she transformed into her beast mode. After Blurr also transformed into vehicle mode, the three warriors quickly powerlinked with their partners, and flew after the enemy. But in return, before the opposition disappeared into the cloud, Demolishor was quick to spot the flyers following them…

_Minicon Flying Island… _

After coming out of his hiding place, an annoyed look appeared on Tusklaw's mammoth head. "Damn Fractyl. If he came just to scope out this land of peace, it wouldn't be peaceful for very long."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Alexis inquired, as she became worried. "If the island is in danger…"

(Not if, Little Lady,) Blitzwing interrupted, (When…) but that was when Grapple blurted out, (I knew it wasn't a good idea to get others involved. Now this island would be all for naught.)

"Is there something wrong, Grapple?" asked a concerned Rad. The crane replied, (Sorry Rad – I shouldn't get all worked up and all especially when the island's at stake.) That was when Scrapper answered, (Grapple's one of the best architects on Cybertron and in our team – most of the work he's done were so good they were like art to him. But now with the war, he tends to get depressed when his projects are destroyed. And that island was going to be a sanctuary for the Minicons by the way – where Minicons can live without being invaded.)

Sureshock placed a reassuring arm on Grapple's shoulder. (I'm not sure if the island would be saved, but we'll do whatever we can to defend it. All we need now are some reinforcements.) Slowly nodding his thanks, Grapple quickly detected a familiar, birdlike cry. (Is that…) he trailed, as he saw three familiar shapes in the air. For a moment, there was relief…

That is, until Demolishor decided to launch one of this missiles, which sailed through the sky. And unfortunately, it made a direct hit on Aura's chest, sending her spiralling down onto the island, with Hotshot and Blurr quickly following her. Demolishor however, let an ecstatic cheer.

"Aura!" cried Alexis as she saw the phoenix fall. Just as she and the others headed towards the trio, she heard the familiar whine of the charging beam. And a second later, it fired, scattering the Predacon and the three Decepticons. Fortunately for them, the beam didn't send them off the island.

Whistling, Shatterbelt couldn't help but be amazed by the weapon's power. "You gotta admit, for Minicons they sure know how to put together kickass weaponry!"

Tarantulas shook his head at the simplicity at the situation. "You do realise that if we fire, that obelisk would hit us! We have to tread carefully if 'we' are going to obtain that island's power for Megatron!"

"And who knows what traps this place has…" added Sideways, as the group proceeded to enter inside the island. But as they did, Demolishor had a suspicious feeling that their Predacon scientist was not to be trusted…

_Later… _

"_Aura! Aura, can you hear us?" _

Groaning, the Transmetal Phoenix can back online after hearing Tusklaw's voice. "Ow… I can't believe I was this stupid to get hit… especially after telling Hotshot and Blurr to be careful…"

"Is she going to be okay?" asked a worried Hotshot, who was in vehicle mode after hearing the warning. Tusklaw's reply was grim since somehow the Energon radiation was interfering with his recovery powers. As a result, she was healed halfway. "All she needs is some rest," he said. "Her beast mode will make the rest of the repairs but it will take time."

"But what about Tarantulas, Sideways, Demolishor and Shatterbelt?" demanded Blurr. "We have to stop them!"

"Don't worry, Blurr. Thanks to the Construction Team, they gave me permission to mobilise my Cyber bat Frostbite and Blitzwing to base with a message while Aura was unconscious. With any luck, they should have the message right about… now."

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"It's a good thing you didn't fire, Smokescreen." Optimus sighed in relief when Frostbite and Blitzwing warped to the base. Most of the team have gathered at the control room to find out what's going on.

"C'mon Optimus, you know how I react at times to unknown signals but with Frostbite there, something's up."

"And besides – he missed." muttered Bladestriker under her breath causing Smokescreen to snap. Blitzwing was darting about fuming about bots jumping to conclusions and trigger fingers when Optimus ordered silence. When all was ready, Frostbite opened up its screen, and it showed a familiar face.

"Tusklaw and the others – they're alright!" cheered Tomoyo, who was glad to see that her friends are still alive. Then the message began so they all listened.

"_Attention Autobot/Maximal HQ! This is a Code 1 Emergency Message from Tusklaw. The others have arrived for the rescue but Aura's injured. We are stranded on a flying island, built and designed by the Minicons. This island is a combined balance of a self-contained ecosystem and urban area, and weapons and traps of simple but powerful design guard it. It was planned to be a sanctuary for the Minicons as a land of peace. It also has a very high concentration of Energon and that you are unable to warp to this location. Tarantulas, Sideways, Demolishor and Shatterbelt are already on this island! If they gain control of this island, they'll not only destroy the base…" _Simultaneously, Wipeout, Scavenger and Fred yelled, "WHAT?!" just before the message ended with,

"_AND WIN THE GREAT CYBERTRONIAN WAR!" _

New Minicons: Grapple, Mixmaster and Scrapper (Construction Minicon Team), and Blitzwing

**Minicon Sub-Unit Identification**

CONSTRUCTION MINICON TEAM

Name: GRAPPLE  
Alternate Form: Crane

Name: MIXMASTER  
Alternate Form: Cement Truck

Name: SCRAPPER  
Alternate Form: Backhoe Loader

Faction: MINICON  
Function: Construction/Engineering  
Abilities: None  
Quote: "Accomplishment is a goal worth building for!"

When it comes to construction and architect planning, these tough little guys really know how to get the building job done. For many eons, even before the war, GRAPPLE, MIXMASTER, and SCRAPPER have trained themselves to help other races speed up the work for new projects, when requested on Planet Cybertron during the times of peace. Unfortunately the Great War usually limited their projects, but though they weren't designed for war, these MINICONS are always ready to shine out. Combining GRAPPLE's planning, MIXMASTER's strength, and finally, SCRAPPER's leadership, these attributes make them a favoured team for AUTOBOT, MAXIMAL, DECEPTICON, and PREDACON alike.

Strength - 9.0  
Intelligence - 7.4  
Speed - 6.0  
Endurance - 9.0  
Rank - 5.5  
Courage - 8.9  
Fireblast - 4.2  
Skill - 8.2

_To be continued… _

FG: Something tells me this: should I change Tusklaw's profile slightly, or should I leave it that way in Chapter 5? I just thought I'd give him some development in the fic. And also, it's about time we have some good-guy construction Minicons too! Not only that, for those who read the Dreamwave comics of Transformers Armada, you may find that there are some references to them.

Also, just in case you didn't check my profile page, I'm now a Deviantartist in Just so you know, I go by the name, Blackvegetable, and I'm an origami folder! Besides that, in a few weeks time, I hope I'd gain my job as a Mail Officer soon! Though I still have to study for my learners…

Just to finish things off, I hope everybody has a lovely Christmas, and that New Year was a breeze too! In the meantime, take care!

This is Final Genesis, signing out!

P.S: Read and Review!


	12. Sanctuary, Part 2

Final Genesis: Another day, another update. Though this time the introduction is a bit of a short one.

You may find I made a few minor changes to a few things, sorry about that! When it comes to mistakes, it's a pity you find you could miss out a few tiny details. One example would be some of the actual Cybertronian measurements, namely two: Mega-cycle & stellar-cycle.

Here's the actual correction, in which a Mega-cycle is actually a year, not an hour. And a stellar-cycle is about 7.5 Earth hours.

Now for the disclaimer:

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. I also do not own Beast Wars, Ken Akumatsu's work or any movie and TV works. The only characters I own are the ones that I made. This time, the chapter is set between the episodes, 'Decisive Battle' and 'Vow'.

And now, the saga continues… and you may find this chapter familiar…

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth **

**Chapter 12: Sanctuary, Part 2**

In the Himalayas, it is one of many locations where mystery has occurred in the past. But now, in the present, besides the Yeti, there was a much bigger secret that was discovered by accident, and not by most human eyes. That bigger secret come in form of a low flying cloud that was followed its course around the area. Of course, what was inside the cloud was quite a spectacular secret indeed; the Minicons built a mysterious flying island, long ago when they crash-landed on Earth. This mysterious landmark was supposed to be a paradise for the tiny robots as a land of peace, so that the Minicons would forever live undisturbed from the Great Cybertronian War. But in the events to come, such as today, this land of peace would be disturbed. And all it took was an accidental discovery to reveal this vast secret on Planet Earth…

"It's as though I've returned to my rightful home," reminisced Tusklaw as he contemplated about the situation on the Minicons' Flying Island. "Even though my birthplace was on Cybertron… I feel that I'm more in harmony with this wondrous place as a being of peace. And hitherto, even despite the weaponry and the Minicon residential areas built by the Construction Minicon team – I am finally at rest here," But the Transmetal Mammoth's expression grew quite dark at the current problem at hand. "It must not fall into the clutches of the Decepticons and Predacons – something that must be prevented at all costs!"

Speaking of the Decepticons and Predacons, the gruesome foursome was traversing across the landscape in vehicle/beast modes, with their own Minicons hitching for the ride. Occasionally stopping to search for signs of their enemies, they had to be careful not to let them succeed. Tarantulas was especially taking a careful look at the obelisk on the center of the island. "Judging by the report the flyers gave us, that obelisk must be the center of power for the entire island."

"Then it must be guarded." Replied Demolishor, as he transformed to robot mode to look around. Bombshell, Tarantulas' Minicon partner, shook his insectoid-like head in disbelief to the tank's simpleness. (Well whaddaya expect, tread-head? The inhabitants being a friendly bunch so it would be easy to plunder? Your over loyalty certainly made you lack intelligence these days,) he responded, watching the grunt's face turn angry. (Best to keep our scanners on high alert.) While Sideways and Shatterbelt watched, they suddenly saw Tarantulas stiffen.

"Wait a second. There something on this rock here," he mused, as he took a closer look while the symbol began to glow. "A red Minicon insignia? Surely that's…" he didn't get to finish as suddenly the earth opened up from underneath him, allowing him to yelp while falling. Just in time, his arachnid thorax deposited the cybernetic webbing onto the rim of the opening. If he wasn't fully careful, he would have been sent falling out of the island, and he did not intend of getting slagged.

As he was climbing up, Shatterbelt couldn't help but cackle at the Techno-organic tarantula, who was climbing out of his predicament. "You had a nice trip, Legs?" he snickered, as the Predacon scientist angrily replied, "It's pays to have a tarantula as an alternate mode, fool!" he snapped, giving his arachnid equivalent of the finger as he turned towards the symbol. Inside his techno-organic mind, he began processing his thoughts. "So… this symbol… it seems to mark a trap location," Then it was his turn to chuckle as he came to a slight conclusion to it all. "Nothing like a useful piece of information indeed." He concluded, as he and the others kept going towards their goal.

Back to the good guys, Tusklaw came to check on Aura's condition. "How are you feeling, kid?" he asked.

Despite the pain, the phoenix stood up, testing her wings as she replied, "Slightly better, Tusklaw. I still can't fly, but I'll live. But we have to keep going." That was when Hotshot responded, 'In that case, your chariot awaits you, Aura. It's no limo but it should help." Smiling, Aura was able to hop on top of the sports car while Rad, Alexis and the Minicons also hopped inside Blurr and Tusklaw for a ride, with the Construction Minicon Team leading the way. Now all they have to do is to defend the island at all costs.

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All was quiet one again near the Himalayas, with no noise to disturb this scenery. That is, until something unnatural happened in the sky once more. As usual, a warpgate appeared again, and who should appear but four Autobot warriors consisting of Optimus, Smokescreen, Wipeout and Bladestriker, all in robot mode, sans Wipeout in vehicle mode. But since the former two couldn't fly, they were outfitted with thruster packs invented by Red Alert for the mission. Besides their Minicons, Blitzwing and Frostbite were leading the way to the Flying Island.

"I'm never gonna get used to flying," grumbled Smokescreen as he had difficulty flying around with the backpack, spinning around a few times thanks to the weight of his crane arm. "So why am I with you guys anyways?"

"Because Smokescreen," Wipeout replied, "Tusklaw's message did say that that the island was outfitted with booby traps and that obelisk. By the sounds of that weapon, even though Megatron isn't there with the Star Sabre, it's a good chance to test out the Skyboom Shield. And what better bot suited for the job is you, since we're trying to properly utilise its capabilities. As for the traps, that'll be Bladestriker's job, according to Optimus."

He then turned towards the flying assassin, who morphed into a combined air/fire elemental form beforehand so she would be able to travel there without the use of the thruster pack. Although she didn't come for the rescue, she joined in for the combat. "So we not only have to take out our targets, but to also rescue the stupid apprentice and the Peanut Gallery. If they managed to survive the island long enough, I'd be surprised. And strategically knowing Tarantulas, he always has an interesting fetish figuring out puzzles to use to his advantage."

(Lighten up will you, Blades?) Blitzwing replied, not thinking that she was actually being sarcastic. (We'll get there in time eventually. So Boss-Mobile, any good o' beverage cards you want on this flight?)

"Not really, no," Optimus answered, laughing dryly to the Aurora jet's humour. "But just for us to stay in formation while you continue leading the way and hope we don't run into trouble. For the ones with Minicons while in robot mode, tell them to fasten their seatbelts just in case." At the moment, Optimus's com. link opened up. "This is Red Alert calling Optimus, come in!"

"This is Optimus Prime – it sound like the new thruster packs and modified communication chips you, Carlos, Longarm and Trailbreaker worked up are functioning properly. Hopefully, we got enough for the others on the island as well!"

"Thanks to the three's additional support, we were able to analyse the Energon sample Blitzwing and Frostbite brought from the island. So with the additional functions of radiation resistance, it should be able to help you communicate inside that cloud cover without any trouble at all." At that moment, Tomoyo and Sunstreaker interrupted, the former saying, "Speaking of trouble, we detected another warp signature! And judging by the three dots on screen, the flyers must be fully refurbished and repaired too!"

"Are you all getting this?" The medic responded, as Trailbreaker, who was currently inside Wipeout's cockpit, reacted, (Oh we're more than just hearing it – WE'RE LIVING IT LARGE!!) With that, the others quickly veered away as Starscream was the first to make his attack, transforming to robot mode in the process. Now, a multiple array of lasers screamed across the sky as Cyclonus and Waspinator joined the fray, also converting to robot mode to make their attack. With no other option, the four Autobots, their Minicons, Blitzwing and Frostbite faced their opponents. Each of them selected an opponent to tackle, with only Smokescreen still having trouble with his thrusters once more.

"I can't manoeuvre properly like this with a passenger, especially since I haven't gotten used to that piece of junk yet!" he yelled to Liftor, as he tried to steady himself again. Liftor however, replied steadily, but nervously, (Might I suggest adding a bit more power to the right thruster so you could fly better? That way it could be easier to utilise the Long-Arm Cannon while I powerlink!) With that, the Cybertronian load lifter prepared himself to utilise the process; only unfortunately, they didn't have a chance as a stray shot from an unknown assailant hit the pair. As a result, Smokescreen began to spin wildly out of control, while poor Liftor (who was separated by the shot), began to careen wildly through space, beeping in despair. When the tiny forklift looked around, he could have sworn he saw a birdlike shape, looking similar to Spystreak except he had a black, red and silver colouration.

(Hang on, Liftor! I'm coming!) Yelled Blitzwing as he saw the scene. Regrettably, a careful hit from Crumplezone interrupted the rescue effort, as he too, began to descend rapidly. (Oh shit…) This wasn't turning out to be a fun-filled day for the good guys…

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

On the island, Tarantulas and the Decepticons (now in robot mode) continued to traverse on the terrain. Even though this was the first time the quartet had arrived on the island, they were already experiencing the taste of what this Flying Island has to offer to them. And if they were to utilise it as a weapon of conquest, they have to be careful not to get caught in the defences – which was exactly what Tarantulas was thinking as he suddenly seized Shatterbelt by the scruff of his neck, sending him to the rear. "Hold it, Shatterbelt! This is one area we want to miss!"

The mole tank was shaking his head from the dizziness as a result, growling, "For what reason, Spidey?!"

"Let's just call it a hunch, shall we?" Sideways replied in disbelief, as the foursome continued their trek. But what the four we unaware was that their rivals were watching them, all thanks to Aura's telescopic vision. After she converted her vision back to normal, the phoenix observed sceptically, "I don't know why, but it seems Tarantulas was pretty cautious about that mark on the tree."

"What mark, Aura - this one?" Hotshot couldn't help but reply as he saw that same Minicon insignia, now glowing an angry red. "What's so bad about that?"

Unfortunately, the others already knew what it meant, as the ground began to rumble violently once more. And since the path they were currently walking on was between two canyon walls, two deadly boulders suddenly blockaded the group. Worse of all, the walls that were on each side of them suddenly began to close in on them, as if it was a tomb trap from an adventure movie.

"You had to ask, did you?!" yelled Rad, as the two humans, four robots and their companions found themselves in a situation they did not want to be in!

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Back to Optimus's group, they were still held up by the flyers. While it would have been easy to save the others, unfortunately it was very much a nuisance when the enemy would continually flitter back and forth like a swarm of locusts. To add to the problem, Smokescreen was now picked on by an incoming Squawkbox, who appeared as soon as Squawktalk and Beastbox entered the fray. Even Waspinator was proving to be a problem to Optimus, albeit a temporary one as the Autobot Commander soon shot off the Transmetal wasp's wings.

Seeing that Smokescreen was in a dire need of an additional weapon and assistance besides his fists, Wipeout quickly yelled, "Smokescreen! Think you can look after this for a while?" He then deposited his Vulcan Cannon after transforming to robot mode as soon as Squawkbox was distracted.

"But what about you?"

"Don't worry – I have just the weapon for the job," came the reply as he left his comrade to face Cyclonus, who was now powerlinked with Drill Bit and Buzzsaw on both his arms. It was truly about time to end this, as the Cybertronian Comanche yelled out, "TRAILBREAKER – POWERLINK!"

With no time to spare, the 4WD Minicon powerlinked himself to butt of the rotary shield, activating its effect. As the power came to effect, each blade began to swivel until each edge was facing forward. But the transformation wasn't over yet, as suddenly as set of jagged teeth aligned themselves on the edges, turning it into a lethal, cutting nightmare. Finally, the blades folded themselves forward, converting the formal defensive weapon into a new and very dangerous buster blade/magnesia drill.

Cyclonus was pretty shocked at the new weapon, but quickly regained his composure. "Damn! That looks dangerous… but it's still no match for a triple Minicon assault!" he yelled, as he charged wildly at the smirking Autobot, who was preparing for the counter. Seconds later, Wipeout demolished the Decepticon's only method of flight, with both members of the Destruction Minicon Teams and Crumplezone separate and falling alongside him as they quickly warped back. "We must be careful Cyclonus, or otherwise deary me… look what happens." He chuckled as a finish to the fight.

As for Blitzwing, he was still careening wildly through the sky, with only one working thruster as a way to try to save Liftor. (BY THE FRICKIN' MATRIX, WHAT A WAY TO DIE! I'M SMALL, PATHETIC AND UTTERLY FUCKED!) If he could only get his internal systems to fix up the damage long enough he might be able to align himself again. But it wasn't long as the same red and black condor (who was yet another one of Soundwave's members) suddenly appeared in front of him, squawking in laughter.

(Aw, a small and helpless wittle aeroplane! This is too good to be true!) He chuckled, giving him a smug peak. If he weren't gloating, he wouldn't have noticed the Minicon putting his plan to action behind the show of fake fear. (Well you know what, Slazer?) Blitzwing smirked, as he pulled out a charged Laserbeak, who was in gun mode. (YOU'RE RIGHT!) Within a split second, he fired directly at the mechanical bird's face, causing him to also fall while the Aurora jet managed to meet up with a falling Liftor. As Slazer shook of his disorientation, he was in for quite a shock as the two Minicons directly landed on top of him. Blitzwing, who was now chortling with delight, pointed the kid's weapon at the eagle's head, whose optics were popped open in fright.

(Whoever came up with the term Birdbrain was right. Now fly, you oversized metal chicken or I'll be using your insides and your ass as war confetti!) Not even a second wasted, they set off back to the battlefield.

As Optimus was assisting Smokescreen, who was trying to land a hit on Squawkbox, he turned his head towards a duelling Bladestriker, who was having fun taunting Starscream. "Bladestriker! Help Liftor and Blitzwing, ASAP!"

The swordswoman groaned slightly as she continued to parry more blows from the Decepticon, who was getting more and more pissed. "Okay – two options. One, like any self-respecting assassin, I could just let two innocent Minis fall to certain doom, or two, I could try finishing this and following that order like any good little girl… sometimes I even disgust myself. Sorry Screamer – I might as well let you off with something amazing. Not that you would want that."

"Then bring it, Bladestriker, not that it would save you!" roared Starscream, now that he was at breaking point. He began to charge up his Null Laser Cannons once more, not even stopping as the fembot suddenly morphed into her wood elemental form. Although she would have fallen, she was able to retain her air abilities, as some of her back-mounted leaves became that of butterfly wings. When Starscream fired, a giant cherry blossom suddenly appeared in front of his opponent, which somehow absorbed the blast. It was time Bladestriker retaliated; the blossom would have a few seconds to hold that amount of energy as she suddenly yelled out, "HYAKKARYOURAN!"

Unsheathing her katana in a slash, she fired her ki, Energon and the Sakura petals in a straight line. Much to Starscream's horror, the rapid barrage of energy became a bit too much for his defences. However, he was refusing to back down at the moment, even as most of his parts were crackling with electricity, but in this case, he would have to finish this fight some other time. "Curse you Bladestriker! It seems… I'm outmatched at the moment… but I'm not giving up… until I can finally match you… when the time is right…" With that, he teleported back to base, leaving Bladestriker, who was musing, _If I recall correctly… he somehow reminds me of myself… why? _With thoughts aside, she then turned to save the two Minicons, only stopping to sense that they are safe. Turning to Optimus, who finished helping Smokescreen deal with Squawkbox, she replied, "Looks like the Minis are doing just fine."

"What do you… huh?" A surprised look appeared on Optimus' face as he saw the two Minicons ride on their unwilling steed, with Blitzwing grinning with near-insane laughter. (Thanks Big Mac, but we got it handled,) Chuckling as he tugged the scruff of Slazer's neck while Liftor hopped back to his rightful partner. (So fellow bots, what are we waiting for?) Along with Frostbite, the entire group once again set off towards their destination, with Crackshot (who was still on Bladestriker) slapping the bot's arm as a compliment. (Ach, did anybody tell ye yer ae real piece o' work, Blitzwing?)

(Aw… ain't it the truth!)

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"What a way to activate another one of the island's traps!" yelled Tusklaw, as the walls slowly began to inch closer to crushing point, with some of his comrades scrambling to prevent them from doing so. "Scrapper, can you try to get the walls to stop?"

(I'll see if I can,) came the reply as he tried to access the obelisk. Unfortunately, two seconds later, his face quickly turned to shock. (Oh, not now! Something's overriding my controls!) He yelled, his response earning quite a number of shocks from the group.

"Then there's only one dangerous option I might have to try: BLURR – TRANSFORM!" Transforming to robot mode, this time, the sniper quickly pulled out both of his rifles, and took out the blockade in front of them. They have to be quick, as with Blurr's reply, "And now we run." they managed to dash out of the trap just in time before the obelisk fired, obliterating the spot to rubble. After they were able to get to safety, Alexis turned to the Construction Minicon Team, slightly tense after their predicament. "I thought you said you built the place, so why didn't the traps respond?"

(That's what I'm trying to find out right now, Alexis,) growled Scrapper as he tried to run the schematics. (I thought for a moment this island only responds to our signals only, but somehow, this doesn't add up. Unless…)

(Didn't you mention before that there were three Minicon criminals sealed inside that obelisk?) Blurted in Sureshock. (I did. Why's that?) Asked the Construction Leader.

"Maybe for some odd reason, even if they were in panel form, they might have somehow gained control of the island's functions in some way, but I don't know," replied Rad, as he scanned the sky for any signs of reinforcements. In a split second later, he spotted something coming towards them. "If that's who I think this is… Optimus! Down here!" As the others looked up, relief came to their faces as they saw Optimus and his personnel arrive (as Bladestriker morphed back to her normal form and the Skyboom Shield splitting into its components)… well most of them landed safely save for Blitzwing, who wound up crashing into a tree branch courtesy of a snickering Slazer, who seemed to have the last laugh. Luckily, Laserbeak wasn't hurt as he greeted the children once more.

"It's good that you were able to make it Optimus," Tusklaw acknowledged the Autobot Commander as he shook his hand with his trunk. While he did that, Frostbite returned to his teammate's compartment. "Tarantulas and the Decepticons have already made it towards the obelisk, and we must stop them! But at the same time, we must be careful of the traps and the Energon build-up. As for the traps, be careful of that symbol – that denotes a trap location." He explained, pointing towards a rocky arch along the path, in which it too had a red Minicon insignia.

Finding a large, considerable piece of rock on the ground, Optimus threw it underneath the arch, where it was crushed underneath the trap below. "So I see," he said, as he then pulled out a bunch of microchips. "Since your message mentioned about the Energon build-up, Red Alert was able to get some modified communication chips prepared so you three can stay in robot mode as long as you like. Luckily for us he was also able to make some for the Minicons too."

"And don't try to use your weapons – it sucks because this place gets ticked if you do!" added Hotshot with caution, as a way to make up for not knowing the trap. That's when a voice came from Laserbeak's com. link. "Whoa wait a second," Billy remarked, as his face appeared on the screen from Autobot/Maximal HQ, with Red Alert, and the rest of the kids watch on. "You mean to explain that the Minicons who created this place went to all this trouble, creating traps, also marking them, and it wouldn't allow you to use weapons?"

"Exactly what are you trying to say, Billy?" demanded Alexis, in which her friend replied, "Judging by my time playing RPG's (Role-Playing Games) with Fred and Carlos, I'm saying this is no ordinary paradise! Though you think the scenery it's for Minicon living quarters, for you guys, this puzzle seems to be designed for attracting the intelligent species and test them. Though you do have to admit, Tomoyo does seem to have a liking to this place for the surroundings."

(Test them? Test them for what?) Questioned High Wire, with slight bewilderment.

Bladestriker decided to answer High Wire's question. "Laurel of the Peanut Gallery's correct – this is some sort of puzzle for us Bulks. It could only be a paradise for us too if we manage to make ourselves worthy on coexisting with the Minicons. Isn't that right, Grapple?"

(Not that I want to say it, even though it isn't what we originally thought up of, it might be possible.) Replied the crane, when Mixmaster blurted out, (Now all we have to do is to sort out the problem with the system – and hopefully fix the bugs up involving the three Minicon criminals inside.)

(Minicon criminals?!) Demanded Dirt Boss. (If they are who I think they are, there's no way in the Pit would I contend with them. I say we hop out of this flying piece of soil!)

"The answer's no!" protested Tusklaw, shocking the Race Minicon as the same butterfly landed on his trunk. "This is a land of peace – not just for Minicons, but for all living beings! I will protect it with my life even if it means my termination!"

Wipeout was squinting at the distance when it was clear they have no time to chat. "I hate to say it, but it won't be a land of peace for long – look!" And over near the island's centre (which was surrounded by the Minicon living quarters), the three Decepticons and one Predacon were nearing the obelisk. Now that they were past the traps and obstacles that lay around the island, they were able to get a close glimpse at the one-way ticket to power. Close up to the base of the architectural structure, they saw that it was well designed; there were not only staircases in each side of the tower, sets of angel wings adorned each side. There were also multiple lines of what looked to be Cybertronian text on each wall, and near the base of the point, four rodlike ledges stuck out in all four directions. To finish off the description, there was the Minicon insignia on each side.

After gazing at the tower, Tarantulas cackled gleefully at their target. "Success at last – now to make our way inside! But we have to find a way to blast our way in!" he announced, turning towards the three Decepticons.

"Are you rocking off your circuits?! If we use our usual weapons we'll be blown to bits!" protested Demolishor, who not willing to stake his own life so far. Already knowing the situation at hand, the technorganic tarantula began racking his mind for a solution. 'Then we need a diversion for our little stratagem…" he mused, as Sideways and Shatterbelt spotted Slazer and Waspinator, the latter of which was somehow repaired a lot quicker than expected. Both of them were flying on their lonesome; they had no idea what's coming up next.

"You're thinking what I'm thinking, Tarantulas?" smirked Sideways, for the Predacon was already way ahead of him. Activating his comlink, he then transmitted his 'plan' while 'readying' his weapons. "The flyers intend to take our prize for our own – they must be stopped right here, and right now. We better shoot them down, and fast!"

Hearing this, Slazer could only splutter at the spider's intent. (What! Backstabbing arachnid! I'll be melting you to slag first!) Preparing his back-mounted lasers for attack, four ruby beams streaked out towards the land forces, who promptly avoided the shots. However for the two aerial warriors, it was a fatal mistake as the obelisk blasted the two, sending them spiralling down, with Waspinator yelling, "BIRD-BRAINED IDIOT!!" Now if only the other flyers could come to their rescue…

Now that the diversion worked perfectly, it was time Tarantulas took his turn before the obelisk could recharge. But suddenly, Sideways' internal computer voiced out a warning. "Enemy approaching. ETA at approximately seven minutes."

"Looks like we'll be having company – guess we're going to utilise old-fashioned close combat strategies."

"Who cares, so as long as I can kick some slag! I can use my drills, right?" His battle-ecstatic adrenaline rising, Shatterbelt finally got his opportunity to fight – even though he would be unable to use his ranged weaponry.

"Do whatever you like," came the reply as he passed out some a microchip for the pair. "Even before we take over the island, there's no need to have a restraint on energy weapons thanks to these chips. But for now - BOMBSHELL – POWERLINK!" he yelled, as his Minicon effect unleashed his shoulder-mounted rocket launchers. All six projectiles created a forced entrance into the towering structure, allowing a way for the invaders to enter inside. With Tarantulas and Demolishor doing their role of infiltration, Sideways and Shatterbelt were to fend off the Autobots and Maximals. But as Sideways did an analysis of the chip, he decided not to utilise it as if there was more to the chip than meets the eye. He decided to slip away and let Shatterbelt have the fun by himself.

Inside the monument, Tarantulas saw that he arrived at the reactor core. The room it was in looked as it resembled the interior of an ancient temple, with a staircase obviously leading up to the top. More Cybertronian writings were written on the arches supporting it, as if a story was told a long time ago. For the reactor, it was a strange but fascinating mix of the technological and the organic construction, making it quite a unique source of power indeed, as it was placed in the centre of the room. Surrounding it was a set of burning lamps that illuminated the scene. A mass of tubing was surrounding a pulsating, heart-like core, which throbbed with green energy. In a room of semi-darkness, it was certainly a perfect place – for a mad scientist like Tarantulas of course.

All in all, Tarantulas could not help but let out a vicious cackle of laughter as the dawning realisation came to him. "At long last… this Flying Island, and its power shall be mine!" With that, he was laughing evilly at the taste of sampling his victory that would soon be his.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(Well isn't that just Prime, they infiltrated the monument!) Confirmed Sparkplug, as he and the rest of his comrades raced towards the site at top speed, most of them in vehicle mode. Optimus couldn't help but quirk at the sudden usage of 'Prime' but there was no time for miscellaneous talk now. At that moment, Aura received a sudden signal. "At last! My wings are fully functional – I can fly again!" As Aura thanked Hotshot for the lift and took flight, Bladestriker replied, "Good for you, stupid apprentice. Make sure you don't intend on blowing unnatural gases in excitement."

"HEY!"

"You see anything ahead, Laserbeak?" inquired Rad, riding inside Tusklaw, as the camcorder/bird Autobot took the visuals. At once, he spotted something. (Only one 'con guarding the entrance, and that's Shatterbelt. The others must have left him as cannon fodder but we have to go close combat then. Well one of us has to distract him, but someone has to look after the kids other than myself while we sneak inside the obelisk.)

"I'll be putting you in the kids' protection, Smokescreen. Use the Skyboom Shield well." Ordered Optimus, as the crane replied, "Will do!" With that, Mirage, Downshift, and Dirt Boss combined to form the shield once again. Blitzwing couldn't help but beep in dismay, (I can't believe that we have to go against our own tech now! What you'll say Prime, any chance of negotiations?)

"As much as I like to try to make good a situation as I can, we got no other choice. Battle ready team! AUTOBOTS AND MAXIMALS - TRANSFORM!" In the moments to come as Optimus took flight, joining Wipeout and Aura… a battle is about to ignite on this once undisturbed landscape.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Teeheeheeheehee… this interior may not suit my décor, but at least I can use it for my purposes only. The Flying Island should give me the power needed… not that I want the tinned tyrant to have it anyway. But first, I might as well use it to take out the Autobots and Maximals, and then decide what to do with it next!"

It's ever a wonder why Tarantulas was volunteered to work for Megatron when there are occasions he could backstab him. Quite a mysterious and somewhat scheming mad scientist, he always has a tendency to look out for his own skin – in case he has any plans for himself. Ever diabolical, his psyche could hardly be ever understood by anybody, as he was certainly the type never to be trusted in any situation whatsoever, such as this.

Which was exactly how Demolishor felt as he prepared his guns for firing, aiming all four of them directly at Tarantulas' head. "Not from where I stand!" he growled harshly, as the mad scientist turned around. "Megatron anticipated your treachery! That's why Shatterbelt and I came along – to eliminate you out of the equation!"

"Oh dear, you found me out," Tarantulas moaned sarcastically, "whatever shall I do? You do know that not only Shatterbelt's outside, but you fire at this range and you'll slag us both!"

"Well that's easy for you to say! I might as well take a few steps back…" If Demolishor wasn't watching where he was going, he would have realised he was backing up close to a wall, which was also marked with a red Minicon insignia. And since it was another trap, a hole suddenly opened up from below him, causing him to be nearly cast out from the island. Luckily despite his arrangement of his fingers, he was able to hold on to the edge of the hole, but for how long, until Tarantulas walked up to him. "Make that a lot of Megamiles… fool!" he chuckled, stomping on the tank's hand and sending the poor grunt careening through the clouds. If he was able to warp out in time after falling past the anti-warp frequency…

"And to think watching 'The Curse of Mr. Bean' wasn't good for you. Now for the centre of power!" Now there was no one to stop him, he began to ascend the spiral staircase to the command centre. Despite the slightly dizzying climb, it didn't take long for the spider to finally reach to the centre of power. Once he reached towards the top, he then noticed what looked to be a barricaded door blocking his way. And where there's a barricade, there's also a chance there are alarms, but for the mad scientist, it isn't a problem. Disabling the alarm, Bombshell then blasted the door open, revealing a wondrous sight.

The room layout was very much something royalty would exist in. The floor was divided by a red pathway in the familiar shape of a cross, and in each square space, stood a burning torch, each beautifully decorated as if it was from another civilisation. Each pillar, like the outside, was also decorated in a series of runes that ran vertically up the walls. There was also a large window on each wall, giving a bird's eye view from the top. It was quite hard to believe that a trio of Minicons were able to build a place this remarkable. What was also quite interesting was that at the centre of the room, what looked to be three, black and blue Minicon panels, inside a tall, glass-like display, on top of a pedestal.

Even as Tarantulas gazed at the interior, it wasn't the design he was interested in; it was the power he could utilise for whatever his personal agenda would be, so hidden that even Bombshell wouldn't know yet. His optics scanning around, he murmured quietly, _so this must be the control center… but how do I activate…_ But as he and Bombshell took a few steps forward, they didn't notice that on the pedestal where the three Minicon panels were, the centre of the floor had a marking of a pentagram on it. Not only that… but the additional Minicon symbol in the pedestal centre began to glow an ominous blue after just one step from the spider. And all of a sudden, a now glowing, star-shaped pillar of light surrounded the mad twosome.

(Aw, now isn't that a sight… aarrrgggghhh!!) Bombshell screamed along with his partner, as somehow they felt an agonising surge of energy pulse through their superstructures. For a moment, they thought that they were caught in another internal trap, only that the pain didn't last for long. Amazingly, they survived, but somehow, somewhat… they felt different. Stronger even.

Chuckling, Tarantulas looked at himself with a renewed source of pride. His dark purple and green colour scheme has changed into that of a shining silver and gunmetal black, giving him a bit more of a mechanical look. The eight eyes on his spider head/chest plate were no longer neon green, but a glowing, bloodlike red, along with the formerly green stripe on his belly. His purple spider legs were now coloured black as well, as with his lower abdomen, through there were some bits of grey on his legs as well. Finally, his ghastly head was no longer dark blue and purple, but also silver and black as well, with his single visor converted from gold to red.

Bombshell was also pretty surprised with his new look too. No longer he was coloured in his black, purple, silver and gold, his entire body now was coated in dark green, with bits of gold on him. A hint of black was also on his abdomen as well, with his back-mounted missile launcher having a black and gold colour scheme. His mouth-plated head was changed from silver to gold, with his red eyes becoming emerald as a result. Even without a reflection, he could feel he was looking quite cool indeed.

His six-manibled mouth shaking with laughter, the Predacon scientist relished the newfound power. His voice had a more ferocious tone than before as he spoke out, "TEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEE! So this is the power I now possess – it's quite tasty too! I like it!" Bombshell was quick to interrupt him, (Tarantulas! The Minicon panels – look!)

To their stunned optics, the three black and blue panels began to glow to life. Slowly, they rose out of the pedestal, shattering the glass in the process. Finally, when the Predacon and his partner finished shielding their optics, they each had a look of surprise to seeing who the three Minicons are.

One seemed to resemble the Land Military Minicon known as Knock Out, only with a colour scheme of dark blue, white and black. The second Minicon was a darkish blue version of Wreckage, but his green optics somehow gave out a look of aggressiveness. The last Minicon could almost be said as a twin of Bonecrusher – other than the black colour scheme still there, his panels have a bit of silver, white, and dark blue in most of the other spots. There was also a familiar X mark on top of his head – something that Bonecrusher didn't have.

(Well whaddya know.) Chuckled Bombshell. (I never knew until now that we'd meet another team as dangerous as the Destruction Team! Especially you guys!)

(You can gawk at us later! Unless if you feel like being cramped in our situation before! Now who's the prick that woke us up!?) Growled the second Minicon, as the first one replied, (Now's not the time for a bash-up, Fetch. That creepy tall one and his partner must be the one who got us off our beauty sleep.) Knowing that he'd better introduce himself, the Predacon scientist said, "I am Tarantulas, the one who awoken you three. Now state your names and business.)

The third Minicon thumped his chest with pleasure. (Glad to meet someone like you, Tarantulas, and if I'm not mistaken, Bombshell. Call me Scattor, team commander of the Night Attack Minicon Team, and these are my subordinates Broadside and Fetch.)

"Ah, now I remember!" cackled Tarantulas, as his memory circuits remembered something from the past, "You were known for one of the highest criminal records across the galaxy – something that interests me! But can you explain the sudden power-up?"

(Maybe because the so-called Construction Minicon Team was left in the dark when their so-called 'defences' were broken though,) chuckled Broadside. (They must have been so busy with the outside defences they neglected to provide additional internal defences as well. But with your intellect and energy signature, you certainly know how to free us at last! Though I don't know whether that works with the Decepticons, Autobots, and Maximals too.)

Fetch was taking a peek outside when his optics changed to excitement. (Let's just cut to the chase and get on with some damage right!? Cause we got the enemy nearing our doorstep!)

Something inside Tarantulas knew that it was time for him to take control of things here. "No need to worry," he replied as suddenly a nearby organic-looking throne appeared near the front of the room, where the mad scientist then sat down comfortably on the seat. "I believe I'm in control of this wittle fortress now. But as the humans' lord would say…" It was then his optics glowed even cruelly than before as he suddenly shouted, **'LET THERE BE LIGHT!"**

Instantly, the tip of the obelisk began to glow again – only for the sequence to be different this time. Somehow, the power enhancement gave Tarantulas the additional power of telekinesis, with even a fragment of his will powerful enough to control the island. This time, four blades of blue light, no – more purple than blue appeared, one on each side of the tower. Like a lid of a box, the thin beams of lights converged into one single, vertical beam, the purple aura even emanating the sky. But that wasn't the end of this strange turn of events yet – suddenly, a burst of energy fired upwards within the beam, and dissipated the cloud cover, revealing the night sky from the outside. Outside, the Autobots and Maximals were stunned by the sudden shift in power, and even Wipeout and Shatterbelt (both were about to duel when it happened), stopped to watch in astonishment. (This… is bad…) mouthed Grapple in pure shock, as he also watched the events unfold with horror.

Nevertheless, even as he sat on the throne comfortably, Tarantulas wasn't done just yet. And with a sweep of his arm, all hell broke loose, as suddenly; a massive bombardment of energy bursts rocked the entire island. The sudden halt of peace was initiated, and now, the warriors outside scrambled to avoid the deadly projectiles raining from the sky. Even Aura's Positron Pulse failed to mark a dent on the obelisk as she was forced to veer away from the incoming beam. The sudden rain of destruction caused the majority of the island's wildlife to take towards the sky, some of them were unluckily hit by the flaming balls of energy.

One projectile was reflected by Wipeout, who was still warding off blows by Shatterbelt, who was ignoring the balls of energy, as if that was the stage he wanted in the first place. "Didn't you notice what situation we're in, Shatterbelt? There's no time for any petty squabbles now – we have to get off before we're totalled!"

"Megatron didn't raise me from the dead just to let me hear your stupid lectures! As long as I destroy you, my vengeance will be satisfied, so who cares if we are in a situation like this!"

_How often have I heard his stupid 'kill Wipeout' speeches? Too much I think. Which is why I should end this – but with something of my own ideas…_ "Must you decide to recklessly follow your single-minded vendetta? You even considered about what happens after you terminate one such as myself?"

"Well I'll give you something before I vape you into slag," chuckled the former Autobot with a smirk. "After being revived by Megatron all those mega-cycles ago I knew there's no other choice by to follow his wittle crusade of his. After all this time enjoying destruction, being bad does make up a bit of joy in your life, and I hope once I get my hands on your spark, I want to see you squirm like any other bot I terminated!"

Wipeout let loose a yawn as a response. "Constant destruction? Doesn't it get boring for you afterwards? And all in all, how long have you known that Meggie saved you?" Then it was the commando's turn to give out a slight grin as he began laughing out loud.

"What in the Pit are you laughing about?" demanded Shatterbelt, who was confused at why his target wasn't shaking in fear. Then again, Wipeout was never the type to lose his cool in a situation… most of the time. It was then that Wipeout explained, "Oh, I'm so sorry about this… I just remembered how loyalty is truly something worth enjoying…"

His optics suddenly glowed harshly as he then added, "Especially if that loyalty would have been staged by such a farce involving your memories."

"What are you talking about?" came the response, as his former friend replied, "Did you really think that the old Shatterbelt would be dead for long? I highly doubt that. Unless a special skill called reprogramming would be involved, since according to my old memories, he risked his own life to save me back then. Something tells me that you're missing something… more than just your memories? According to two dear friends of mine, sometimes memories don't stay lost. Are you sure your great commander told you all the truth?"

"Shut up! Of course he did! He explained the truth about myself, and how you betrayed me! That's the reasons why I offered my services to him!"

The Comanche swatted off another laser burst as he continued, "I'm not usually the type to pry into others' minds but how did you know whether the story Meggie told you was true or not? How do you know you aren't loyal him because that's how he made it so you would? Tampering with your memory banks, hard drive and even your personality while you're offline or hibernating to suit him best… to make you a loyal cipher you were now?"

The reply was as expected as Shatterbelt suddenly clutched his head, shouting out, "YOU'RE LYING… IT'S ALL A LIE! I was told the truth and joined the Decepticons and Predacons since the day I was… reactivated…" Powerlinking with Movor once more, he angrily attempted to fire his mortar cannons, his awareness forgotten. Unfortunately, the chip Tarantulas gave him was also a mere farce, as the mole tank was forced to avoid being shot by the beam.

"But that's the deception – you only gained the 'memories' when Megafart told you! Oh that's right – that was the name the old you gave him. How did you know that what he said was fact or fiction?"

"I'M A DECEPTICON WARRIOR! My fellow comrades said so within those sixty mega-cycles!"

"Then how could you justify that?" Something in Wipeout's now-firm tone forced the fallen Autobot to listen. "That what they say or what they feel towards you isn't a hoax they've been feeding you for the past sixty years?"

It was then that flashbacks began racing within Shatterbelt's head: memories that he thought he somehow shrugged off back then while in Decepticon/Predacon HQ, Cybertron. He didn't know how they got there, but for some strange reason, it was like Wipeout's words were somehow releasing those remnants of the past…

_That guy's unbelievable – how could Megatron recruit someone like him? _

_I guess you could say that he could be quite useful as a devoted tool until the day he fails on one mission, and then it'll be all over for him! _

_Ah well, like all of us, we are his playthings until the end of the line… _

While Wipeout and Shatterbelt were having their forced conversation, inside the tower, seeing as most of the Autobots and Maximals were running about outside, Tarantulas was busily cackling with glee. It almost seemed like too much fun as he was showing off his newfound power. However, another evil idea crossed his mind; he was going to use the island to destroy the Autobot/Maximal HQ, right? It seems that now, he could demonstrate this immense power to the universe if he has too. "This seems all too easy… where's the fun in that? With this island in our disposal, we should be able to head over to the enemy base… although I don't know how fast it would go."

"Just so that you aren't left in the dark Tarantulas, how able we disable the anti-warp frequency?" suggested Scattor. "It'll save us from being engaged by the humans' military, and plus, it'll get you there faster that way."

"Ah yes, I completely forgot about that. In that case, one of you must accompany Bombshell into disabling the anti-warp frequency."

(That'll be my job, eight-eyes!) Saluted Fetch, as he and Bombshell went over to the controls. A few seconds later, a computerised voice sounded, 'Anti-warp frequency disabled."

"Excellent!" chuckled the spider, as he then swept his arm again. "Set all co-ordinates now! All speed, to the Autobot/Maximal base!"

Another hum sounded again, only for the obelisk to rise vertically by two metres or so. In a startling move, the glow suddenly surrounded the entire island, stunning most of the combatants in shock. Even the flyers were affected, but just in time, a fully refurbished Cyclonus and Starscream were able to get Waspinator and Slazer to safety as they warped out. Then all of the sudden, the floating landmark suddenly disappeared from the Himalayas…

And then reappeared above America, just from the outskirts of the High Desert – which was exactly where Lincoln is. As it just entered the district, people were screaming in panic as they saw the strange object flying over them. With panic, came chaos, and that included many vehicular collisions. Even the police were having trouble controlling the situation, for they had no idea what that flying object is, as the turmoil was almost like a scene from the movie Independence Day.

Dodging another energy projectile, Optimus knew that things were really bad as the Flying Island caught the people's attention. But there was no time as he then contacted Autobot/Maximal HQ. "RED ALERT, CODE 1 EMERGENCY! EVACUATE ALL OCCUPANTS OUT OF THE BASE NOW! HURRY!" Even as the announcement was just called, Red Alert and Scavenger were quickly working to abandon the headquarters, while working to help the Minicons. Even Carlos, Billy, Fred, and Tomoyo were assisting, as they were provided with modes of transport to carry the lot to safety. As the evacuation sequence was still active, Red Alert pressed the button on the control console, as the holographic display showed the incoming island. With no time to lose, he too ran for the emergency exits, picking up any remaining Minicons along the way.

Back on the island, the others were still taking cover from the immense amount of firepower that was showering the island. While most were lucky to avoid them, Smokescreen was forced to jettison his backpack as a shot caused it to explode. Luckily, he threw it a good distance so that the kids were unhurt.

"Don't you just hate it when a situation we're in heats up like this?!" yelped Alexis as she was crouching behind a nearby boulder along with Smokescreen, Rad, High Wire, Sureshock, and Liftor. At least it was a good thing that the Skyboom Shield was keeping them safe from harm.

"Hey," Rad replied, "if this happens to be part of an action movie, we would have been famous – if not for us being pinned down! Hey Smokescreen, what's the plan?" The crane quickly replied,  
"According to Optimus, I have to wait until that beam fires again. When that happens I have to fire a flare shot to not only blind Eight-Eyes and the Night Attack Team, but to give one of us the chance to slip though!"

"I guess it's all up to Tusklaw since of his defensive capabilities," Alexis confirmed, as she silently whispered, _Please be careful…_

_Meanwhile, at another nearby boulder…_

"This is something that should not have happened in the first place!" shouted Tusklaw, as he, Hotshot and Blurr were all catching a breather, along with their Minicons and the Construction Team. Hotshot took that chance to reply with, "You're certainly getting no argument from us, that's for sure." Blurr was about to reply when suddenly, a shot struck the boulder they were hiding behind. A second later, the youngest of the trio got his leg trapped underneath a particularly large boulder.

"HOTSHOT!"

"No, Tusklaw – get moving! You have to make it inside or we're all scrap!"

"But what about you?"

"Hey, don't worry about us," Blurr interrupted, "We have to follow along with the plan. But for now, just run for cover, and quick!" With no other choice, Tusklaw quickly placed multiple energy matrixes around Ice Freeze and the Construction Minicons, as they headed towards another large boulder just in case, which was closer to the obelisk. As they did, the mammoth quickly asked Scrapper, "Are you sure you're fine with this? It's just that you three and Blitzwing worked so hard on building this paradise!"

(As much as it pains me to do this, it's better destroyed that seeing it in the hands of Tarantulas and the Night Attack Team!) Mixmaster also added, (I agree, we can always start over again!) Tusklaw then turned towards Grapple, expecting him to object to the idea of the destruction of the island. To their surprise, the architect replied simply, (Do it.)

"Alright you oversized pencil," shouted Hotshot as he and Blurr powerlinked with their Minicons. "EAT SLAG!" Without hesitation and screaming, the two Autobots unleashed a rapid volley of shots at the obelisk, along with Bladestriker, who unleashed her famed Kuzu Ryu Sen technique. Seconds later, after unsuccessfully causing much damage to it, the former two were sent flying by the beam. But it was worth it as Hotshot was freed at last!

"You realised that was crazy, did you?" Aura asked sceptically as she landed near the pair. "Hey – when you're with us, sometimes crazy works!" grinned Hotshot, as suddenly, Aura used her wings to block off a shot aimed at the sports car. "Now we're even." She smiled in response, winking with thumbs up as Optimus, Blitzwing and Laserbeak gave the signal to Smokescreen to fire the flare. Stage 2 was now in action…

"That… not true…" shuddered Shatterbelt, as realisation slowly came over him, as the thoughts began running inside his mainframe. But at the same time, a sorrowful look appeared on Wipeout's face as he saw the reaction. "Not that I like to see you in pain any longer – you can choose to believe it or not, but right now I grow tired of your single-minded vengeance… including your rants. But to make things easier on you, I might as well ask you this: do you wish to stay alongside Megatron, or shall you seek your own truth about yourself? Because I got a little something that might help you if you choose to accept it."

He then pulled out what looked to be a blue microchip. "You see this here? I didn't know it, but in my last message, Rana explained that the old you left a copy of your datatracks inside your old computer before that fateful event. That's when your decision comes in – do you wish to have your old memories installed… or shall you be free to try to find your own memories on your own? I'm not saying for you to abandon your old life but isn't it time you made your decisions by yourself instead of just listening to what Megatron told you? Choose wisely Shatterbelt, because this ship would be going down soon…" Even as the flare was ignited, the mole tank made no move to run, as he was quite wrapped up in his thoughts to even think about running right now.

Trying hard to ignore the brightness of the flare, Tarantulas, Bombshell and the Night Attack Team were trying to clear their sense of vision, unaware that a certain Maximal was able to slip inside the monument. When the flare dissipated, the Predacon scientist snarled loudly, "Did they really think a puny light show was able to stop us? I think not."

(I don't know, Tarantulas…) thought Scattor worriedly as his only optic was still smarting from the blindness. (This flare must be used for something else…)

"Well no matter…" interrupted Tarantulas as he focused himself on the task at hand. "How far are we until we are in range, Bombshell?"

(Not long now boss. Preparing weapon charge in six, five, four, three…)

However, Bombshell would never finish the ignition system. Because inside the engine room Tusklaw had just lifted up his Frost Grenade Machinegun, aiming it with a sad look on his face. Sure, he wished he could stay on this once peaceful land, but now with the fate of Planet Earth in his hands he had no other choice. With Ice Freeze and the Construction Team behind him, he then spoke out his words.

"May I be forgiven… for what I must do!"

Every shot he fired to the engine brought tears to his optics. Even though the island was to be destroyed for the sake of the base with many Minicons inside, he knew the Construction Team had spent a long time sweating mech-fluid while building this island. And now, the island Tusklaw vowed to protect was going to be taken out by the same warrior who made that vow.

Sensing that the engine room was taken out, Shatterbelt quickly snapped after being silent for a while, "Alright! If that's how you wanted it, I'll find my own past myself even if I have to shut you up for it! I don't need any bloody piece of datatracks just to find it!"

"Well that's the spirit. Now all you have to do is get out now because this ship's sinking. Since the anti-warp frequency's gone you can warp out of here at anytime. Now it's time I do the same." Transforming into his Cybertronian Comanche mode, he prepared to depart when the former Autobot suddenly demanded, "WAIT! Is there an explanation why you're telling me this? Please tell me!"

Before he departed, there was a glint in the cockpit, as if a tear appeared. "I'm only doing it for a friend who wanted to die with valour and honour, one who I believed in. And I trusted that dear friend of mine in the past… remember that Shatterbelt, the next time we meet." Leaving behind a confused Decepticon, Wipeout prepared for departure, while Shatterbelt then decided to warp out, his rival's words still etched inside his mind. Watching the scene as well, Sideways also decided to make do his departure from the island as well, as he and his Minicon partners also warped out.

As for the occupants inside the control room, they suddenly began to sense that something was wrong as electrical currents filled the interior. Abruptly, the weapon ignition sequence died completely as Tarantulas shouted out, "What?! NO! NOT NOW! NOT WHEN I WAS SO CLOSE!"

(Let's get outta here, then!) Agreed Broadside, as he and the others attempted to escape. But the island was rocking quite violently to the point that the others fell to the floor instead of being able to run for the exit.

Back outside, it was also time for the Autobots and Maximals to make their leave too, as the power inside the obelisk died away. (TIME TO FADE, HEROES!) Yelled Blitzwing as he and Laserbeak to the chance to lead the others to safety. With the rest of their Minicons powerlinking, Rad, Alexis and their Minicons hitched a ride inside Blurr (who converted to flight mode via Incinerator), while the Construction Team rode inside Tusklaw as Optimus and Wipeout in turn gave him a lift. Aura was also able to utilise her talons for lifting up Smokescreen with the Skyboom Shield while Hotshot and Bladestriker utilised their own methods of flying out.

As they landed safely outside the Autobot/Maximal HQ, they saw the island rocking out of control. Like a flailing aeroplane its sides scrapped the mountain wall, where chunks of the island separated from it. It then disappeared over the ledge of the plateau, where it began to fall heavily, carrying the screaming occupants with it. As it had no power, Tarantulas and Bombshell were back to their normal selves. However, it did not stop as while the island landed, it began to spin wildly like an out-of-control Frisbee, with more pieces of the island loosening. Finally, the centre of the island is what remained… and the obelisk was quick to topple over. It was now a shadow of its former beauty as the island lay in pieces.

Struggling to get up despite being winded by the fall, Fetch suddenly growled, (When I get out of this situation, I swear I'm going to make those pricks pay for this!) Bombshell however, sensed something wrong. (Well you can get your revenge later… I seemed to recall something about… oh no.) But he never got the chance to finish as suddenly the remaining pieces of island exploded… all thanks to the underground storage of Energon that was powering it. And it was powerful enough to cause the area around the Autobot/Maximal HQ to rock violently, as everybody near the vicinity was supporting each other. But despite the explosion, everyone near the base looked up in time to see a long beam of gold light shoot up into the sky. Now that the island predicament was over… everyone wondered what just happened.

Red Alert was the first to speak out after the long moment of silence. "That was certainly a strange set of events. What do you suppose that beam was?"

"Hmm…" Scavenger thought out loud as he also tried to rack some sense to this phenomenon. "It might have been some kind of signal that occurred."

"It was more than just some signal – it was a message!" Tusklaw yelled out, causing everybody to look towards him. He had quite a look of sadness and outrage as a result of the event. "The Minicons were given a paradise! All we had to do was to either let them be, or to coexist with them in order to protect the island! But we have proven ourselves worthless," He sadly watched as a dying monarch butterfly landed near his feet. "And the flying paradise is no more."

Looking at the poor insect's body, Tomoyo couldn't help but reply sadly, "Yeah… I remembered a story like that was told before a long time ago. It must be really terrible that one worked so hard on building a paradise like this for Minicons, and now…"

(Like Mixmaster said,) Interrupted Grapple, who somehow lightened up a little, (we can always try to start over again… but only until the war's over. How long it'll go for… that's the problem.)

"Speaking of problem," Bladestriker added, "There's also the residents." This time the comment caused all of the robots and the kids to turn to her. She then pointed out, noticing the citizens out in the streets below staring at the site of the fight.

(Hoo boy – this is really bad.) Remarked Rollbar as he increased his vision a bit while sitting on Scavenger's shoulder. (Now how the heck are we supposed to cover up our tracks?)

"And to make matters worse, the humans would think we're a threat to them thanks to Tarantulas's entrance with the Flying Island," Optimus's tone was quite grim as he came to the realisation that the people witnessed the event. "We swore to keep ourselves hidden from the eyes of humanity, but thanks to that battle, it wouldn't be long for the people to find out that we Cybertronians exist on Earth. I do not intend on letting any more innocents get dragged into our war in case lives would be lost in the process! This is going to make the Minicon rescue even more difficult – and I'm not sure whether we could make fortifications in another location in time."

"Don't forget there's the bit involving secret government business and the freaky experiments on aliens too." Carlos piped in with a straight face, causing the other kids to yell, "CARLOS!"

"What? You're wondering why I'm looking unusually calm?" He gestured to Red Alert, who nodded in agreement. "Optimus, thanks to Carlos's help, I have an idea that could keep our existence a secret from the humans outside."

"Really?" perked the Autobot leader, with Fred grinning, "At least it'll be better than a late dinner at Booger Burger."

"SHUT UP FRED!" yelled an exasperated Billy as he, like the others listened to what the medic had to say.

"However, we might have to go inside first…"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The people of Lincoln wondered what was going on at first on a typical day, until the sudden appearance of the giant, flying object above them. This caused uproar among the residents, and it was pretty difficult for the law enforcement to keep under control. Though some patrolling government officials arrived shortly after the incident, they would be in for a surprise later on.

Near the mountain, something immense was happening as the earth rumbled again. For a moment, the crowd thought that the aliens would be launching their attack again. But only this time, as the citizens watched, a tall, tower like structure popped out. It almost looked like something from a sci-fi movie, as if some sort of control tower was activated for some odd purpose. For some crazy sci-fi fans, it was a dream come true as they were seeing it in front of their very eyes.

Everyone watched the structure come to life, some fearful, or some anticipating what would happen next. However, the anticipation was gone when a huge flash of light came over them, the incident forgotten in their minds.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"It's done," Red Alert breathed a sigh of relief as the structure did its job. "Now nobody would remember what happened in the last forty minutes."

"You did a job well done Red Alert," complimented Optimus, who was glad that the incident was hidden at last. "That Neuraliser Tower was just what we needed."

"But all the same, thanks to Carlos's supplies from a nearby junkyard, we were able to complete it on time."

"Aw shucks, Red. Thank the film Men In Black for the idea!" grinned the Hispanic boy, giving the thumbs up. Blurr however, interrupted the group, blurting out, "Even if the island was destroyed in that explosion, something tells me that we haven't seen the last of Tarantulas yet…"

"What were you talking about, Blurr?" grinned Hotshot. "There's no way Eight-Eyes could have survived the explosion thanks to the underground Energon!"

But it was Aura who took the grin from Hotshot with, "Not that I know of. For all I know, Tarantulas always has the habit of defying death. I have a feeling he'll be back, and even Megatron would be even more cautious than before considering he took the island for himself."

(And if they survived, the Night Attack Team would be trouble for us in the future,) Agreed Scrapper. (That's why we'll be offering our services to Autobot/Maximal HQ.)

"Really?"

(Right, Optimus.) Grapple replied. (With all due respect, we're going to need your help in order to bring peace to the universe. And though I can't believe I'm saying this, but whatever you need, we'll also help you out whenever we can.) Both Blitzwing and Mixmaster were nodding in agreement.

Tusklaw then decided to speak out as well. "We'll make sure your work on your island was not in vain. Maybe someday, when you recreate your island, we could come and visit you."

"Welcome to Autobot/Maximal HQ then," Rad smiled, as everybody also expressed his or her congratulations to the four newest members. Then Rad's expression changed. "But I have to wonder – what was that beam for, and where was it going? It sure reminded me of something…"

"You mean the time that beam that was generated when the Star Sabre and the Skyboom Shield connected? Maybe that same thing happened today." Suggested Alexis.

"Who knows? But maybe we'll find out somehow, someday, what that beam signifies." Murmured Optimus. Though that day costed a paradise and a near revealing of the Cybertronian warriors, what mattered was that everybody made it out alive. Though the enemy would also have a few new additions to the team, that wasn't going to stop the Autobot and Maximals from saving the universe. And it was going to stay that way for the rest of their adventures.

New Decepticon: Slazer

New Minicons: Broadside, Fetch and Scattor (Night Attack Minicon Team)

_To be continued… _

FG: Still job searching unfortunately, but with good news, I've managed to get my Learner's two months ago! It's so good to gain something worthwhile – especially when you need to get to places, though I have my driving lessons going on. But it was good anyways that I'm learning to drive!

Note that there were a lot of preferences to certain shows and other parts of the Transformers mythos, well especially the bit involving Tarantulas and Bombshell's power-ups. You may find that those colour schemes were a reference to one: Tarantulas undead form from Primeval Dawn and Universe, while Bombshell, having sporting G1's colour scheme at first, his power up scheme was reminiscent of Energon's Insecticon.

And of course, since I don't own the Night Attack Team, I thought I might include them to the story.

I'm also not so sure whether this would be a good idea or not, but since I'm usually a slow writer and that I didn't like Transformers: Energon much, I thought that if having a chance to make a sequel after this, I would utilise Transformers: Cybertron, but with some of the characters from Energon if I felt like it. What do you think? That's probably one of the reasons why I placed one of Prime's concerns about the humans, which would probably carry on to my 'Vow' chapter.

Speaking of Vow, I might have to either download a torrent of the episode or ask you if you have a transcript of it, because at the time it played in Australia, I overslept and only recorded the second half of the episode.

For those who are more used to G1 Laserbeak than Buzzsaw being Soundwave's main bird-bot, I thought I might involve Lazerbeak's form, only changing the name to Slazer. Not only that, according to Bob Budiansky, the dude who came up with the actual names and profiles of the Transformers (as well as the Marvel comics) Slazer was original name in G1. So since Laserbeak was already used, I thought, hey – how about Slazer for the 'cons?

Now that this chapter ended, I thought it would better to change Wipeout's six years of training to sixty years since I didn't think six years gave Wipeout the calm (sometime polite) self he is right now, in addition to his improvement to his abilities.

Don't worry, Demolishor's not going to die, just get a few boo-boos…

And once again, here's the Japanese translation of one attack this time.

**Hyakkaryouran **– Hundred-Flower-Pandemonium/Chaos of a Hundred Flowers. For those who read Love Hina and Negima, that was one of the many _Sen/flash _techniques utilised in those two Manga series. A _Hiken/Hidden Sword Technique_, it fires off ki and petals in a straight line to strike down an enemy. I thought I'd make it a wood-elemental attack.

Well that would be about it for tonight. And now I have to work on my deviation special to celebrate my first year in Deviantart. In the meantime, enjoy, and when the Transformers movie comes out, I hope to see it! Once again, take care!

This is Final Genesis, signing out!

P.S: Read and Review!


	13. Prelude to Battle, Prelude to a Vow

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines

Final Genesis: (31/05/08) GAH!! Of all the nerve, I'm sorry!!

It's been exactly a year since I last updated, and how stupid I've been! There's a number of reasons I have to mention to you all why the lateness…

1. I seriously have to work on my time management.  
2. I thought I'd try to catch up adding chapters to my Digimon fanfic so I could update a story one chapter at a time…  
3. Had to download a torrent for this Armada episode, 'Vow' since I overslept a few years back when that episode aired.  
4. It was hard to think of some ideas for some certain scenes, like teaching whatever subject, and how to make a dialogue involving that.

And that's basically about the gist of what happened. Other than the fact that I finally got a job at Hungry Jacks at the end of last August, saw the Transformers movie (quite a kickass movie I had to tell you), I wish I could tell you more. Oh yes, also, I'm now officially 21! Yes!! But for now…

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The only characters I own are the ones that I made. This time, the chapter is set in the episode, 'Vow'.

And now, the saga continues… with possibly some changes in the dialogue since I never liked discriprencies…

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth**

**Chapter 13: Prelude to Battle, Prelude to a Vow**

It was just another afternoon when school was finished for the day at Lincoln High. The majority of the students and staff would all have left the premises either to rest, play or study, as an aftermath of a typical bustling school day. In some cases, there were also after-school classes, make-up lessons and outside school tuitions. For the students who attended those lessons, it was quite a valuable asset when it came to success in the future, especially after leaving school.

Like most of the others who stayed after school, Tomoyo was no different, as she has her tutorial lessons to attend. After enduring most of the pain of losing her sister and not being able to speak three-quarters of her own language, her lessons have finally commenced. So far, since she knew most the basics of speaking her language, Mrs Makimachi decided to teach the twelve-year-old the intermediate-university level sessions. There was also the back up of reading and vocal work just in case.

"So, it's 'Nippon de wa, Doyoubi demo, kodomotachi wa, gakkou ni ikimasu', which translates as 'In Japan, children go to school even if it's Saturday', right, using the grammatical term, temo, demo?"

"That's right. Just so you remember, 'temo' means 'Even if' and 'demo' means 'even though'. Of course, that's one of the functions of the be-verb/te-form plus the 'mo'. How do you find living in America so far?"

"I like it. Even though I have one school day less than back home, I like it. I guess it's also good that I already made some new friends…"

It was that word that suddenly caused her to trail away. Despite managing to make new friends, there were other moments she felt a hint of homesickness as well. It's not that she disliked her old friends, but at the same time the past events flew by so quickly. Especially since she wondered how her old friends were going during the month that passed. Not only that, there was also the other factor that both of today's events seemed important to her as well, particularly one that involved going to Autobot/Maximal HQ. There was also another part of her that seemed to make the depression worse at times – almost as if she was feeling the pain of her loss of her sister again. And since there were no other occupants at the classroom besides the two, only Mrs Makimachi sensed the feeling. "What's wrong?"

For a moment, Tomoyo couldn't bring out the words to say it. "Ano… I'm not sure how to say it at a time like this… but something about it just feels…"

Even though they were in the middle of the lesson, her teacher was lenient. "Try and take a deep breath. It'll help you explain better."

She was even thinking the words as she slowly did as she was advised. As she didn't want to reveal the secret of the Autobots and the Maximals, she wanted to make her question as understandable as possible, without her teacher being one of the people who know.

"It's just… I don't know how to explain, but… what if you just joined or got something… like a new club or a new job – and if you felt like you want to do something important?"

"And what would that be?" Mrs Makimachi asked kindly.

It took a second for the young girl to finally let out her answer. "What would you do if someone in that club helped you, as in saved your life, but you don't know how to repay them? It's just… that person helped me out many times but I'm not sure what to give him in return. What could you do?"

Her teacher rubbed her chin with both her right thumb and pointer finger, as she came up with a suggestion. It was not a question she was often asked but in this case, she was willing to help out in any method she could possible. "Hm… maybe give him a present? Do you know any interests on what he likes?"

Checking the time, Tomoyo didn't want her lesson to consist of miscellaneous talk. "Is it okay if we can discuss it after the lesson? I don't want to waste the whole lesson…"

"Sure, why not?" came her teacher's reply, as the two recommenced the lesson.

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Something wasn't right at Autobot/Maximal HQ when the five remaining kids and their Mini-Cons made it to the entrance. Typically there weren't any sentries patrolling the area at this time, considering that the enemy only invaded HQ once, to search for the Star Sabre components before. However, with Hotshot and Blurr standing guard at the entry, this particular scenario seemed to be quite out of the ordinary.

"How come?" demanded Rad, as Alexis also added, "Yeah, how come we can't come into the base?"

"You gotta give us a reason Hotshot!" piped in Carlos, in which the yellow Autobot scratched his head in response.

"Sorry – that's the way it's gotta be."

Being impulsive as ever, Billy tried to get in his own way with a huff. "You can't stop…" he began, only for the rest of his words to be lost as Blurr's foot slammed down in front of him.

"It's a direct order from Optimus. I cannot let you pass."

At a moment like this, Carlos was never the type for patience, as he was almost about to loose his temper at this rate. Then again, the sudden refusal for base admittance was the good reason for the sudden surge of disbelief. "No way! Optimus would never give an order like that!" It was then that the group heard voices from the other side of the entrance door. As it opened, it revealed Optimus, Wipeout, and Aura.

"Blurr is right. Now please do as you're told Carlos, this could get dangerous." Optimus ordered. Aura however, wasn't sure about this decision.

"Optimus, are you sure you know what you're doing? The kids are just about as important allies as the Mini-Cons are."

"It's just for their safety, until we know the full extent of mastering the Skyboom Shield."

_Somehow, I believe there's another reason you got Prime, _Wipeout thought, as inside, he didn't like the idea of secrecy at a time like this. As he looked over the group of kids, he noticed something was amiss. "Tomoyo's at her lesson again, right?"

"She is," Alexis replied, as somehow she knew part of Wipeout cared about her. "She's sorry she and Sunstreaker couldn't make it, but they'll be here as soon as they can."

As the four Autobots and one Maximal headed inside the entrance, only Aura stopped for a little bit, bowing as she turned towards the kids. "I apologise about the trouble guys. I guess with all the events involving both the Star Sabre and the Skyboom Shield, along with the Flying Island has gotten everyone on edge."

"Sure, whatever," Carlos responded, as he then asked, "How was training with Bladestriker?" Ever since of their first meeting, Carlos was quite lenient to her, and previously apologised for his harsh words back then.

"It'll begin soon – hopefully, I can learn some new moves as well," Hearing the call for the start of the strategy plan, the Transmetal phoenix bowed again. "I have to go, but hopefully, things will settle soon." With that, she left with the others, including the three Street Action and two Future Stunt Mini-Cons, leaving the kids pondering on what's going to happen next.

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"Attention! All Mini-Cons are to fight by my side!" crowed Megatron, as he, Soundwave and Demolishor stood out on the moon's lunar surface once more. Once again, Megatron intended on having more sessions of rigorous training, and he has a very good reason to ignite the sessions. With the Skyboom Shield in Autobot and Maximal hands, along with Tarantulas's insubordination (which resulted in the loss of the Flying Island), he was pulling all the stops for peak performance from the Mini-Cons; no matter how long the exercises went. As on cue, Mega-Octane, the two Street Speed Mini-Cons (Oval and Backtrack), the Destruction Mini-Con Team (Dualor, Drill Bit, and Buzzsaw), the Night Attack Team (Scattor, Fetch, and Broadside), and the Land Military Team (Wreckage, Bonecrusher, and Knockout) arrived to the scene.

"You will obey only Megatron, or suffer the consequences, you understand!?" added Demolishor, when the squadron arrived at the three Decepticons' feet. After Megatron ordered the Mini-Cons to get into formation, they had no choice to do as they were told; though there were some Mini-Cons who were willing to participate, like the Destruction and the Night Attack Teams.

"Alright," Megatron ordered, after the Destruction and the Night Attack teams powerlinked on most of the ports on the Decepticon leader while the rest scattered into firing formation. "Time to program the battle sequence. I'll switch into Full Blast Mode while you Mini-Cons distract the enemy's attention, then I'll strike with the Star Sabre. The ones powerlinked increase my power ten-fold for the final blow. Ready?"

Most of the Mini-Cons' replies were in unenthusiastic beeps, however the Night Attack and Destruction Teams' reply was with excitement. Unbeknownst to everyone except Dualor, he was hoping to unleash everything he's got within his structure.

When everything is in place, the Decepticon leader commanded, "Soundwave, commence combat simulation on my mark!"

"At once, Megatron." Replied the Communications Officer, as he activated the sequence. Instantly, a holographic figure of Optimus Prime appeared on target.

"Now… FULL BLAST MODE!" Once again, Megatron ignited his mode conversion, with Leader-1 connecting to the now-frontal tank turret. With the transformation complete, he then roared out his order. "ATTACK!"

The battlefield was filled with the brightness of laser light. Every shot lanced out in a full volley, with Megatron's anti-matter blast illuminating them all as they screamed out towards the target. As Soundwave's scanner detected the health bar of the holographic Optimus Prime, he saw that it was on critical. Seeing his chance, Megatron prepared himself to deal out the final blow.

"Give it everything you got you weaklings, and now!" the Decepticon leader bellowed loudly, almost as if he could make the lunar surface crumble. To be able to defeat a strong enemy like Optimus Prime, he would often think to himself, he would have to be at optimum power, so that nothing would remain. However, something unexpected was about to happen. And that surprise came when the Night Attack Team and Leader-1 suddenly chose to disengage from their linkage points.

Having none of that unanticipated change in order, Megatron couldn't help but demand, "Where do you think you're…" but he was quickly interrupted as powerful arcs of energy began enveloping his body. With a scream, Megatron felt the surge flow inside his superstructure, energizing, albeit painful.

"Megatron, what's happening?" Demolishor cried, his concern shown for his leader. "What's wrong?"

His companion did a quick analysis on the withering target, his emotion showing no signs of change. "High energy reading detected. Source of the overload revealed to be from the Destruction Team Mini-Cons."

"Well don't just stand there, Soundwave, we have to save him!"

"Negative. I believe Megatron would be able to overcome from the surge, one way or the other." At his words, Megatron was still trying to fight the overwhelming power surge coursing through his systems. His distraction to the pain was enough for a sudden blast to knock the Star Sabre out of his hands.

"H-hk! Power… beyond measure, but… w-won't let it…nnng!! Dualor, Drill Bit, Buzzsaw – DISENGAGE!" Knowing that the tyrant has had enough of their sample of power, the Destruction Team quickly disengaged as they transformed back to robot form upon landing. As Megatron now realised that the Star Sabre was knocked out of his grasp, he was quick to saw the origin of the shot.

"That's just to remind you there'll other Autobots and Maximals in the area, sir, especially if you're distracted over a sudden power surge like this." Sideways reminded sternly, his wrist-mounted rifles still smoking as he was crouching within the vicinity.

"JUST STAY OUT OF THIS!" Megatron snapped in fury. He was not looking forward to any setbacks, and the last thing he wanted was a monkey wrench thrown into his plans. But first, there was the matter of the Destruction Mini-Con Team. "EXPLAIN!"

If Dualor had a mouth, he would have been grinning at the sample of power he let loose. (Hey, the power we got is there for the taking… but at a price! Just a little failsafe I thought to include in our system folders a few mega-cycles back.) In short, what Dualor meant was that a long time ago, he developed a method of disengaging power dampers while Powerlinking with a Transformer, allowing him to provide a far greater level of power than the average Mini-Con. As a result, when the entire Destruction Team is combined with a single Transformer, the results are practically unstoppable.

"I'LL CRUSH YOU!" roared Megatron, as he was furious at not being told of that information. But this particular Mini-Con, as the leader of his team, he is the cleverest of them all, with a knack of making methodical and calculating ideas. (No you won't – not now you've had a taste. 'Power beyond measure', remember?)

His words were enough to convince one Decepticon, even one as terrifying as Megatron to listen what Dualor has to say. "Go on…"

(Good. Now, let's deal… We'll give you a free Trial run: Full Multiple Powerlink with no system-after burn. In return, we want a say in how things are run around here.)

If what Dualor said was true, Megatron could use that power, coupled with Leader-1's abilities, to finally defeat Optimus Prime. Considering Megatron's nigh-high obsession with controlling the entire universe, he was prepared to do anything to achieve it – even if it meant sacrificing many lives and the usage of power, brutality and fear in the process. The power he would be given would be enough to help with the conquest of the entire universe. _After all_, he thought, _we Decepticons all know what conquest is made of. _

But then, there was the matter involving Dualor himself. From what Megatron heard, he has a way to protect the Mini-Con faction – however, what he's heard about was that most of his methods were quite ruthless. In many ways, both he and Dualor were alike – both would bargain, coerce, or downright threaten in order to achieve what they want. For a Mini-Con – even if his goal is seemingly noble, Dualor's far too willing to sacrifice everything, including innocents to achieve what he wants. But the only difference is, that his cleverness only goes so far, considering he always expects his plans to help him come out on top, so he's not always prepared for when they go awry. That could be dangerous when dealing with a devil like Megatron himself.

For now, with what is held at stake, the Decepticon leader decided to go with the Mini-Con's deal. But he intended not to underestimate them at the same time, as somehow, a part of him knew that the Destruction Team would not keep to their end of the bargain. "Hm… very well," His attention was then focused on the rest of the Mini-Cons at hand, threateningly pointing the regained Star Sabre in the process. "Mini-Cons! You know your duty I've given you, understood?" All of them nodded, some of them nodded quickly under resentment. "NOW GET TO WORK!"

Mega-Octane, in particular, was most annoyed. Even though he volunteered to be in service after being awakened, he never liked the harsh treatment Megatron gave to his fellow Mini-Con brethren. Over the many years before the Mini-Cons' escape from Cybertron, he was most famous for training many soldiers, including the Land Military Team. Despite his strictness, he was never power-crazed compared to a megalomaniac like Megatron, and the fact that Megatron seemed to be pulling all the stops to succeed was enough to piss him off. Then there was the additional fact that he also felt the guilt that he also taught the Night Attack Team, one of the few teams to fall to the dark side. It was a lesson he did not want to learn twice, as he only taught military techniques and strategies to those who desired peace.

As he and the other Mini-Cons trudged back to Decepticon/Predacon HQ, his mood didn't go unnoticed by Wreckage, leader of the Land Military Team. (Something on your mind, sir?)

The battle-hardened Mini-Con took a quick look over to the blue planet before entering. (Of all the places I have to wake up to. I sometimes wonder whether what I taught would cause more bloodshed within the universe?)

(Don't keep bashing the topside of your head; you did what you had to do to teach us, Mega-Octane. Even though there were some Cybertronians you felt guilty of training, I'm happy that you taught and trained us the ways in what you believed in. And that's most important.)

The missile carrier Mini-Con was smiling behind the mouth plate. (Thanks son. I'm just happy to see that I wasn't a burden to you all. In fact, I believe I heard Blitzwing's at Autobot/Maximal HQ, so it'll be good to see him again,) Making sure that the two weren't overheard, he then asked, (I believe you and your buddies are going to go out on your own when we arrive on Earth, right?)

(We'll help out whatever situation's appropriate to us,) came the reply. (What are you going to do now?)

(You know how Megatron wants us to make contact with Autobot/Maximal HQ? I got just the plan to help the few of us to escape from this hellhole for some time now…)

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"Hotshot, Aura and Blurr will lead this defensive formation," explained Optimus, as the seven Autobots and two Maximals were gathered in the tactics room to discuss the battle plan with the Skyboom Shield. After an analysis on the shield and the situation on hand, a battle strategy involving it was formed, as holographic figures appeared on the miniature topography. "Smokescreen will remain in the rear, and before we engage the Decepticons and Predacons in combat, he will pass the Skyboom Shield…"

"Why Smokescreen?" Hotshot interrupted, wanting to know the reason why. Bladestriker elbowed him for the interruption as a response.

"Because Smokescreen will have the best view of the action, and as shown from the last battle, his Long-Arm Cannon makes him best suited to carry the Skyboom Shield." A second later, a holographic image of the Skyboom Shield was thrown in the battle simulation.

"Good plan." Nodded Blurr, impressed with the result.

"And if necessary, the Shield can be passed to Scavenger, Red Alert, or Bladestriker. For Bladestriker, her cloaking and her Shukuchi ability would be suitable for a quick delivery as well."

Now that Optimus finished speaking, Hotshot was able exclaim gleefully, "That's great! Then anyone of us can use the Skyboom Shield at anytime!"

"But remember," Red Alert added, turning towards his companion, "without Smokescreen, this defensive formation wouldn't work at all, Hotshot." Hearing this reply, Smokescreen made his words heard. "Hey pal, I know! Chill out don't worry about me. I got it, I mean, I'll be there, so don't worry!"

"Just in case, Wipeout and Tusklaw can back Smokescreen up." Optimus added, turning towards the said soldiers as they responded in unison, "You can count on us sir!"

"Hey, we're counting on you!" Hotshot merrily replied, then turning towards Smokescreen. "We don't want the Decepticons and Predacons to get the upper hand Smokescreen!"

Once again, Scavenger had a grim look on his face, as even though the plan is well thought out; the warriors still have to expect the unexpected. "Hm… this could get very complicated." Aura couldn't help but agree. "I hope this plan will help out in any way it can. Otherwise… I don't I want to know the price of defeat anyway."

"We don't understand the full power of the Skyboom Shield yet," Optimus ordered, "but I want to make sure you're aware of the dangers when it's used against the Star Sabre. We can't afford any mistakes."

"Right!" Came the reply, showing that they understood the battle plan. At that very moment, there was the familiar sound of beeping again. When they turned, they saw it was the Street Action and two of the Future Stunt Mini-Con teams.

"Is something wrong, you guys?" Aura asked, who was concerned about what transpired earlier. Of course, there were some Mini-Con language frequencies that were hard to understand to some of the 'Bulks', as Optimus replied, "Eh, translation please?"

"Seems High Wire and the others want to know why they're not coming with us, Prime." Bladestriker translated, for she knew what Optimus's reply was going to be.

His answer came out sternly, "I'm afraid this mission is too risky."

His reply was enough for the majority to become depressed, especially Jazz hence his snapping of his fingers accompanied by his foot stomp. It'll be sometime before the Mini-Cons would have something to do until later. But all it took was a transmission to raise the mood…

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"So you think a present would be one idea that'll work?" Tomoyo asked, packing her books as her lesson was finished for the day.

"Whatever works for you, Tomoyo-chan," Mrs Makimachi smiled, seeing that her protégée's mood had brightened considerably after hearing her advice. "As long as it's enough to bring a smile to your friend's face, it'll be fine. It doesn't matter if you don't get the right gift or didn't get it, as long as it's enough to show that you care for him. And that's most important. See you tomorrow at the usual time, then?"

"Hope so! See you later, sensei!"

There was a happy skip in her movement as a result of some helpful counsel. As Tomoyo was blissfully skipping along to the school entrance, it seemed nothing could drown her mood at the moment. For the time being, with the advice given to her, it would give her a chance to know more about the Autobots, Maximals and Mini-Cons – especially Wipeout. There were certainly moments she almost blushed thinking about him.

That carefree mood was quite apparent as Sunstreaker was waiting patiently outside, allowing her systems to be fully functional. Even though she wasn't in robot mode at the moment, a headlight was raised slightly. (It's not everyday I see you this happy, Tomoyo. What's up?)

Her human partner was humming a tune while packing her school supplies into the compartment sections. "Oh, just the fact that I know how to repay Wipeout for helping us. Although… it wasn't easy trying to think up of a story without revealing you guys."

(Sounds like you had fun once again, thinking up of some ideas,) the motorcycle Mini-Con smiled to herself, as she feigned engine ignition. (So what ideas did Mrs Makimachi suggest?)

"She suggested a present would be one of the ideas. Another idea I thought of would probably to introduce a culture on Earth, like my country for example. Did anything happen while I was gone?"

(Maybe I don't know, but some strange reason, our human friends weren't allowed inside HQ.)

That instantly raised an eyebrow on the Japanese exchange student. "What? But why, and how come?"

As the duo set off for their destination, Sunstreaker quickly racked her processor. (From what I heard from Sureshock, it's probably because they need to find out more about the Skyboom Shield. Another fact would have been because of the Flying Island incident. That would be a reason why Optimus and the others seemed to be on edge at the moment.)

"It would have been nice to see what the Mini-Cons' island looks like up close. But still, we have to think as a team. Maybe once the matter's solved, we'll find out more about the Skyboom Shield," Then an idea popped into her mind. "One more thing – do you think we have time to stop at the shops just for a little bit, Sunstreaker?"

(Hm… maybe just for a little bit. I wouldn't want to miss whatever meeting is being discussed, but if we're quick, then we have some time on our hands. What shop you thought of going to for your idea?)

The same smile that got Tomoyo in high spirits returned to her face. After all for Sunstreaker, it's been a while since she saw her partner being this happy ever since her teacher first came to the school. "You'll see! Shall we be off?"

And with that, the two changed route towards the Lincoln shopping complex. It wasn't everyday that they stopped at a detour temporarily – there have been a few occasions. An example would be the one time they obtained ingredients for a feast, which was later used for the sleepover at Alexis's house when the boys were camping. Only this time, it was different. And for once in her lifetime, Tomoyo felt like she could finally do something important for her friends, in hopes that would help contribute to ending the struggle for the Mini-Cons. It would seem for a moment, nothing could go wrong on a day like this.

But since it's the afternoon, it's a wonder what event is going to happen next, whether normal or out of the ordinary…

_To be continued… _

FG: I'm so sorry this had to be a short chapter, but if I don't want to make this over a year. Hence from now on I'll add a date to indicate whenever I add a new chapter in.

Another fact that you may find that I utilised Dreamwave's good ol' More than Meets the Eye (MTMTE) Official Guidebooks along with the Armada comics as a way of finding out about some character personalities. It's a good way to find out more about the characters, good and bad, hence Dualor's personality.

And to make up for what happen, I'll start working on the next chapter right away, if I can. And here's hoping Soundwave doesn't send one of his Cassetticons or Compacticons after me…

Well, I better get to bed, it's getting late, and I better watch my health just in case. Take care of yourselves!

This is Final Genesis, signing out!

P.S: No flames please, and read and review!


	14. Heart to Spark

Final Genesis: (17/11/10) After two years and six months, this is quite the huge writer's block (bigger than the time it took for me to update my Digimon fanfic), due to various distractions, and differing interests at the time. For that, I apologise greatly, and I'm sorry. Along with updating my Digimon fanfic, there are many events that transpired, but to cut the long story short…

Firstly, I was finally able to obtain my own car, though a second-hand model, it is of great use to me. Unfortunately, there are moments in which I learned lessons the hard way, as during March, I had my first car accident this year. It is not something for me to be proud of, as repairs came at quite a great cost to me. Nevertheless, I was able to upgrade my licence many months later, to a Provisional P2 licence – which hopefully I'll have an Open licence in the future without any trouble!

Secondly, I recently managed to obtain a Certificate of Hospitality I and II last year. This year, I managed to snag Certificate III as well, and hopefully, with them, I'll be able to find a good job! While Hungry Jacks is okay, working for ten hours a week as a Casual worker is not exactly a way of earning big bucks, especially after three years. Right now, I'm seeing how I go with a training course in Baking, which happens near the end of November.

Thirdly, unfortunately, due to four years not servicing my computer, the computer tower had to undergo quite an expensive clean-out, as it had quite a lot of dust forming! As a result, the graphics card had to be replaced, and while some programs are able to be restored, the same cannot be said for programs like Photoshop and Microsoft Office! Hence why I'm utilising a trial version. Poo.

Now for the disclaimer once again!

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Armada, the characters and storyline; it belongs to the Hasbro and Takara Lines. The only characters I own are the ones that I made. This time, the chapter is set in the episode, 'Vow'. I also do not own the song 'Shooting Star ~Negai wo Komete~ by Gotou Saori-san.

And now, the saga continues… with possibly some changes in the dialogue since I never liked discriprencies. However, you may find some references in other Transformers Armada media quite familiar…

**Heroes of Cybertron and Planet Earth**

**Chapter 14: Heart to Spark**

"So we're not allowed to go near the Autobots and Maximals until they figure out what's with the sword and shield thing?" Carlos asked again, hands behind his head, as he and his friends took the opportunity to take a stroll about the woods to rack things through. It was only a few minutes after the refused entry, and like most kids their age; the group of five were already bored.

"Optimus is just uptight," Billy replied in annoyance. "I mean it's not fair!"

"What a rip-off!" agreed Fred, once again in support of his friend.

Rad wasn't so sure whether to agree with them, but someone had to lighten up the situation. "He knows what's best. I mean we all know how powerful the Star Saber and the Skyboom Shield are."

Thinking back about the Flying Island incident made Alexis another one to also make her point. "I think another battle in the future would be a pretty scary thing anyway."

"I guess," sighed Carlos, yawning in the process. "But we should really do something! I don't like sitting on the sidelines like this. After all, I am a man of action you know. I wonder what Tomoyo thinks of this?"

"Let's have something to eat," suggested Fred, his mind on food once again whenever stress gets to him. "That'll keep our minds off our troubles."

There are times Billy wished he could tolerate his sidekick's pit for a stomach. But considering the history of the past when that stomach got them in trouble before now wouldn't be considered to be a good idea to eat. "The fate of the world is at stake, and all you think about is food?" That earned a whine from Fred as a result. It wasn't long however, as the group heard a faint beeping sound from behind. When they did, they saw their five Mini-Cons companions once again out to greet them.

"Hi guys!" Rad greeted with a smile, as they ran up to meet them, Fred bringing up the rear as usual.

"Sneaky!" Carlos complimented, "you followed us all the way from the base!"

"Maybe they got their butts kicked out too." Billy suggested jokingly, as Jazz made a gesture as if he was saying, _"Something like that."_

"I'm sure they got lonely back there, that's all," replied Alexis, as their companions nodded sadly. It was then some part of Sureshock's frequency got wind in her human companion's ear. "Is… something up?" she asked, nodding as she understood what was said. "Sureshock says she's intercepted a strange signal."

The answer instantly caught her friends' attention, as Rad interpreted what High Wire's saying, "He says it's a transmission from the Decepticon/Predacon moonbase."

"No way!" Carlos exclaimed in excitement. "Why would the Mini-Cons on the moon be sending a message to us down there?"

Thinking wasn't normally Fred's forte, but unexpectedly, he had a theory. "Hey, maybe… maybe the Mini-Cons on the moon just want to talk!"

Earlier on, Carlos and his friends heard the story about the Night Attack Team. So it wasn't surprising that he couldn't help but sarcastically reply, "Oh sure, just invite them in for some buttered scones for tea and then blow us up to smithereens, why don't you?"

Before Fred could retort, something inside Rad knew that their friend was true to the point. "No, wait – Fred's right!"

"Y-yeah, sure! Maybe the Mini-Cons on the moon want to join up with their friends here on the Earth!"

"So you think those Mini-Cons were worried about these guys?" Rad inquired.

"Yeah!" Alexis nodded in agreement. "They want peace."

"Do you think so?" Fred asked eagerly. For once, there was hope in his tone that he wasn't mocked for a suggestion.

A few memories seeped into Rad's head as he remembered some of the proof. "Yeah, it all makes sense now! Don't you remember the Race Mini-Cons that form the Skyboom Shield? They tried to protect Sparkplug and Optimus when Optimus and Megatron were battling last time. So up on the moon, the Mini-Cons might be under Megatron's control, but I bet they want no part of the war the Decepticons and Predacons are trying to start!"

…

_"Transmission is sent sir."_ Mega-Octane confirmed, as Megatron inquired about the status.

"Good, so I assume it's reached the Mini-Cons on Earth?"

_"That is correct."_

"So if all goes to plan, we actually got some use out of you useless lot, after all." It took Wreckage's order to keep Knockout from flying into a temper at that remark, especially since the Decepticon leader was in fact using as a new ruse to set up a trap for the Autobots and Maximals. With the fate of the Earth at stake, all Mega-Octane can do, is hope and wait.

…

The best thing about a Mini-Con, according to Sunstreaker, was the fact that sentience and technological systems was a necessity in her day and age. That fact so far was that some of in-built anti-theft systems that were installed were enough to repel petty thieves who thought they might get a free ride while her partner was away doing her own business. But at the same time, she was careful not to activate her vocal systems lest she attract unwanted attention to any unwanted civilians. All the same, despite Carlos's Neuraliser Tower plan being quite a success, she couldn't help but worry in her temporary recharge cycle. Maybe that's why Optimus seemed a little on edge lately.

She only just woke up when she saw Tomoyo happily skipping towards her, a mid-sized package in her arms. "Did you wait long?"

_"Shh! Wait 'til we're out, okay?"_ The Future Stunt Team leader hissed, as moments later, they departed out of the shopping complex. Once they were at a minimum save distance, she asked, _"I was just replenishing my energy levels while you were away. Other than a couple of thieves who got themselves quite a scare…"_ she was chuckling when she said that,_ "nothing much happened."_

"That's good – I was worried for a moment that someone suspicious would snitch you – though it would be quite amusing if you suddenly scared them out of wits!"

_"Not that I intend to do that after the reporter and the flying island incidents, though all I know is this – seems that the former is taking a long 'vacation'."_

"In other words she's…"

_"Yep – probably in the nuthouse as we speak."_ The Mini-Con chuckled, as a small sweat drop appeared near Tomoyo's head. But that conversation was interrupted as suddenly Carlos's face appeared on the viewscreen.

"Tomoyo, Sunstreaker, are you there?" The Hispania boy's voice of concern sounded.

"We're right here – is something up, Carlos?" replied the Japanese girl.

His face had a sense of urgency as he was running at that very moment, explaining, "We received a transmission from the Mini-Cons from the Decepticon/Predacon moonbase a few minutes ago! We're heading towards the warpgate location right now!"

"Shouldn't we tell Optimus first? And are you sure some of the Mini-Cons are friendly?"

"Rad and Fred are already on the way to tell Optimus! There's only one way to find out, and if you hurry, we might be able to gain some new allies soon!"

_"Okay,"_ replied Sunstreaker as soon as Carlos was about to close communications. _"Be careful, and see you there!"_ And with that, the duo set off to their destination, hoping there isn't going to be too much traffic on the way. But little do the players know, with all games, the players have to be set up for the stage.

…

There are times Megatron almost couldn't keep his anticipation at check. But this time, a look of determination and cold-bloodiness caressed his steel face. The amount of victories the Decepticons and Predacons won seemed to have varied lately, in the manner of 'you win some, you loose some'. And in the hopes of this latest plan, with the Autobots and Maximals having obtained the Skyboom Shield, he had hoped to at least gain some degree of success.

Watching as the Destruction, Land Military and Night Attack teams warp over to the co-ordinates, along with Backbeat, Oval, and Mega-Octane, the Decepticon leader turned towards his subordinates. "I'll act as a decoy and draw the Autobots and Maximals to the warpgates and split them up. Once they're separated, I'll contact you," Before he decided to take his leave, he motioned towards Soundwave, who gave a nod. He then turned Demolishor, growling, "Until then, you will remain on standby."

"Yes of course, Megatron!" the grunt replied, and with a salute later, the Decepticon general disappeared in a stream of energy.

"So for once, Megatron is gonna do some work!" cackled Cyclonus, after hearing about the latest development.

"Ooooo, Wazzpinator ecstatic about getting major prizes! Maybe for once a prize that doesn't involve being blown to slag!" the said Predacon buzzed in excitement.

"Sure." Starscream chuckled sarcastically. "If his plan works." The majority of the men nodded, if not including Tarantulas and Sideways, the former absent because he was still inside his lab. Considering that time is short, the teams got to their positions on the consoles, with Soundwave taking the lead.

…

"Yoo hoo!" Fred hollered, hammering his fist at the Autobot/Maximal HQ entrance upon arrival. "Come on! Is anybody home? Hey, open up! Says me!" Perhaps Optimus seemed to take the security issue a bit too seriously, because after a few good minutes or so, the chubby boy finally gave up, sighing, "it's not working."

It was then that Rad decided to try another option, as he established communications with Laserbeak. "Hold on just a second, Fred. Optimus, its Rad. Sorry to bother you but the Decepticon and Predacon Mini-Cons are on the way to Earth!"

No sooner has Rad spoken; the cave entrance opened itself, revealing the colossal Autobot warrior. There was a serious look in his optics as he asked, "Are you saying that you received a transmission?"

"Right," Fred replied in near excitement. "The Mini-Cons on the moon want to join up with their friends on Earth!"

Another set of footsteps later, Wipeout appeared besides his leader. "Are you sure about that, Fred? I can't help but be worried that there's more to that transmission than meets the eye. But where's the others?"

"They went over to the warp site." Rad answered back, as suddenly Optimus became even more worried. Knowing that the children and the Mini-Cons were heading over to the spot by themselves could leave them in a sense of vulnerability, especially if any of the Decepticons and Predacons would be involved.

As a response, Optimus countered, his voice firm. "I don't think it's a good idea for you kids and the Mini-Cons to head over by yourselves. See if you can quickly make contact to make sure they get out of harm's way. I'm sorry you two, but you should probably stay here where it's safe." As he headed out alone, despite his orders, Rad and Fred quickly decided to go after him, in order to warn their friends.

…

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Carlos inquired, as Sureshock pinpointed the direction. According to the data the five Mini-Cons received, that was the approximated location of the warpgate.

"Sureshock says this is the place." Alexis warily responded, looking around. It seemed almost as if the likely event of a reunion was only a few minutes ago, and already something didn't feel quite right. Jazz was quick to analyse the position.

_"Crazy! Something doesn't smell right.I'm getting a reading of warp energy, and it seems to rising quite fast indeed."_

"Then where's the warpgate?" Billy demanded, but he got his answer as suddenly, to their attention, what looked like four Mini-Cons (Mega-Octane and the Land Military Team) zip past by in a wave of energy.

_"Did you see that?"_ Asked a surprised REV.

"It looked like some of the Mini-Cons warping past us," Carlos murmured, "Maybe these were the ones that contacted us in the first place. I gonna go have a look." But before he could take another step, his eyes bulged out as a familiar beam-coated katana blade impacted the earth in front of him.

"And allow you 'Fools to rush in where Angels fear to tread?' I don't think so," hissed Bladestriker, shifting to her armoured form as she said so. Something didn't seem right, according to her sensors, while Optimus quickly told the children to head back. No sooner was the order given out, Megatron suddenly appeared, Star Saber in hand. "You…"

Drawing his stolen blade out in front of him, there was an air of confidence in his tone. "Come, Optimus Prime. Follow me if you dare." With that, he too vanished into thin air, Transwarp energies taking him to parts unknown. By that time, Hot Shot, Blurr, Smokescreen, Wipeout, Rad, and Fred appeared at the scene.

"Get back to the base immediately!" Optimus commanded, for the situation would be dangerous from this point. But Fred's curiosity got the better of him.

"Hey, what's the big deal? He's gone," Stepping towards the spot where the warpgate was previously, he had no idea what to expect, whether of bravado or stupidity. "There's nothing to be afraid of – I'll even go through iiittttttt!" Too late – Fred was also swept away via the warpgate.

"Fred!" Rad shouted, running up as he too was warped after him. High Wire and REV were quick to express their worries for their partners.

"Rad!" It was now Optimus' turn to yell now, as the kids would have no idea what dangers would be waiting for them at the other side. There was no choice now but to follow the disappearing children, resulting in Hot Shot, Smokescreen and Blurr quickly hurrying after him.

"Hey, wait!" Alexis shouted with slight irritation and worry, "don't leave us here alone!"

At that moment, Aura descended, transforming from her phoenix mode. "I think Optimus would want you guys to be safer back at the base! Otherwise anymore of us would be divided and conquered."

Nodding, Bladestriker agreed with her apprentice. "I concur. We'll be able to monitor the situation back inside." But no sooner have the group started to hurry back, the familiar sound of a futuristic motocross motorcycle heading towards them, as Tomoyo and Sunstreaker finally made it to view.

"Hey guys, did something happen?" The Japanese girl called, not knowing what just transpired.

Quickly turning around, Alexis suddenly yelled out, "Tomoyo, wait, don't come any closer!" But it was too late – a scream later, the girl and her partner vanished from view!

"NO, TOMOYO!" Wipeout cried out.

_"SUNSTREAKER!"_ Jazz and REV shouted, now having to face the fact that their leader was also taken to coordinates unknown.

Unfortunately for Aura, she gulped as a result of this predicament. "I stand corrected about the 'anymore of us' bit."

_"We have to go after them!"_ REV yelled, as he and Jazz prepared to follow though, although Wipeout's tone quickly stopped them.

"And send more of you to who-knows-where? If Megatron's just flown by, who knows what other Decepti-scum might be waiting for us, especially if it's the Skyboom Shield and you guys they're after!"

_"But we can't let our friends fall into enemy clutches – so who knows what shenanigans they might try on them!"_ Jazz objected.

As he spoke, Trailbreaker quickly transformed into his 4WD mode and joined Wipeout, who replied, "Nevertheless, head back to Autobot/Maximal HQ – I'll do whatever I can try to get our friends back! I failed to protect Tomoyo because of that damn arachnid's Cerebro shell… I won't let it happen again!" With no other option, Wipeout and Trailbreaker disappeared from view, leaving the remaining children and Mini-Cons to be escorted back by Aura and Bladestriker.

…

_At the Decepticon/Predacon Moonbase… _

"Huh? Hey, you!" Demolishor demanded, after noticing that the Decepticon leader's signal vanished from the terminal screen. "What warpgate did Megatron go through again?"

"I don't know. There's too much interference on the signal right now!" Cyclonus chuckled, his signature grin caressing his face. "It looks like one of the Mini-Cons tampered with it!"

"Or it could be something else,"Soundwave thought out loud at another terminal, "Because there is no sign of Tarantulas at the moment."

"We'll worry about the eight-eyed freak later! We all got to adjust our equipment right now!" As a loyal grunt, Demolishor often showed signs of jealousy to the communications officer because of his current standing to the Decepticon general. It was understandable considering that the tank often sought for Megatron's praise considering the times they lost in certain rounds to the Autobots and Maximals.

Due to the foot soldier's taking command in some part of the way, Starscream and Sideways didn't seem all too enthusiastic, with only a slight grumble from each. Shatterbelt however, with some hesitation, managed to take a terminal – if for a fact that he was still stunned inside about Wipeout's words during their last encounter. As hotheaded as the mole tank was, he didn't seem to be intent on taking on his former comrade, but he has a duty to focus on hand at the moment. Seeing that the first two soldiers still were getting on with the task, Demolishor yelled out, "Why are you all just standing there? Get going! We're got to be sure Megatron gets back to the base! Go on, get to work!"

Despite Starscream and Sideways grudgingly take the order, it was then Soundwave decided to take matters into his own hands. "You heard Demolishor. Or shall I reveal to you all why you aren't fully up to the task at hand?" For some reason, this time, the jet and the motorcycle quickly snapped to attention, and headed over to a monitor each. Maybe it was because the famed Communications Officer often utilised blackmail material to keep his position to Megatron tight. Even Demolishor was suddenly surprised that a quiet warrior like Soundwave agreed with him, as nobody else ever found him likable.

"Soundwave, why did…"

"I only did that because we serve Megatron as his right-hand men. Also, I find rivalry to be a necessary challenge as to keep hold of my position tightly." All of a sudden, somewhere in his spark, Demolishor found a slight newfound respect for Soundwave. But there was no time to contemplate this, as they had to find a way to lock on to Megatron's signature so they could bring him and any additional Mini-Con captives to the moonbase.

…

_Autobot/Maximal HQ…_

Alexis's fingers were typing at a furious speed. Any faster and they would have vanished into a soft blur across her laptop she carried with her. Of course, they would have to be quick, as she still had to try to pinpoint the location of their missing comrades. So far, she tried locking on to Laserbeak and Sunstreaker's frequency. But as much data as her laptop can process into locating her friends, there still weren't any luck.

"Darn! I can't make contact with Laserbeak and Sunstreaker at all!" the girl groaned, turning towards the remaining members of the group. The fact that Tomoyo vanished from view was reason enough to justify her worries, as she was too late in warning her as the event slipped by too quickly. Like the others, Red Alert was especially grim, and Jazz and REV were still worried.

It was then Aura decided to voice her suggestion. "Alexis, the base computer system your laptop is connected to… what's its clock rate?"

"I think about a hundred megahertz per second… why'd you ask?"

The Maximal phoenix's processor began ticking. "I thought by now you would have locked on to signal. Unless… someone is trying to interfere, especially either Decepticon or Predacon, that would be the reason why. I'll see if I can help you, Alexis – even though it's been a while since I was at work," It was then she was struck with a brainwave. Stretching out her fingers (which gave a slight pop that some of the humans weren't used to) she asked Red Alert, "Can I use the computer system please?"

Nodding, the medic's permission was granted. About three seconds later, Aura was standing in front of the terminal, her fingers at ready. Moments later, she began typing at a furious speed, data codes filling her optics as the youngest Maximal was hard at work, calibrating the various signals.

Scavenger, for the time being, was impressed, as the others gazed in awe. "How were you able to do that?" he asked, despite Aura not being able to reply while focusing all on screen.

Bladestriker however, was able to answer. "According to the files I found one time, she was a top student of the late Blackarachnia. The stupid apprentice may be at the bottom of the food chain when it comes to combat, but she's quite the genius when it comes to system hacking. One rare occurrence found during her Predacon days was that for retaliation for a number of weapons stolen from a Predacon warehouse, under her superior's orders she was able to implant a virus so the weapons would selfdestruct after the theft."

"Holy frijoles!" Carlos exclaimed, after hearing this new information. "I'm glad we have her on our side!" It was quite the relief, as for now, the fate of their missing friends now on Alexis and Aura's shoulders.

…

The densely forested area of Canada is usually teaming with wild animals, their noise essential providing the sound for this peaceful location along with a flowing river. However today, a whole new kind of clamour was about the surface, and judging by the shifting winds, the residents already knew that something was amiss.

That something amiss came when a yelp later, Fred landed face-up in the clearing, with Rad following after the sudden warp. Along with Optimus, Blurr, Smokescreen, and Hot Shot, they arrived in unfamiliar terrain, which would have been recognised if the communications were back online. Neither of them however, noticed a faint distortion to the warp as something else zipped by.

"Where are we?" Optimus inquired, as his sensors analysed the topography.

"I… don't know," Rad answered, as at the moment, he was helping up his large buddy up. "Hey Fred, are you alright?"

Despite his dizziness as a result of the teleport, Fred was able to moan out, "Yeah."

It was then that Wipeout and Trailbreaker suddenly appeared behind them. "You didn't see Tomoyo and Sunstreaker pass by did you?" That was enough to add shocks to both the displaced boys and Autobots now, starting with Rad.

"What? How did…"

"They arrived shortly after you guys left," The Comanche explained, as he took a look around. "Unfortunately our warning came too late and they were taken for the ride!" No sooner has he finished explaining, multiple shots bombarded around them, causing Fred to latch onto Rad in panic.

"Help me!"

"Ah! They're shooting at us!"

"I know that! Promise you won't leave me!" Again, the Autobots and the humans sighted Megatron in the clearing once more, seconds before he and the accompanying Mini-Cons vanished again.

_Megatron… what's he up to? _Optimus thought. But there was no time to think as again he, Rad, Fred, and Hot Shot were taken for the ride once again. Only Blurr, Smokescreen, Wipeout and Mini-Cons remained, as whatever remained of the transwarp energy disappeared off the scanners.

"They left without us!"

"I know, Blurr! That's not the plan," agreed Smokescreen, as now they seemed to be miles away from any suitable communication range. "How am I supposed to pass the Skyboom Shield to them?" As quickly as the realisation came to them, the ground somehow began to rock violently. To make matters worse for the group, the two incoming vehicles that appeared were not the ones they wanted to face.

_"You want to tumble, cause here comes Rumble!"_ With a yell, the red and black monster truck Mini-Con transformed, converting his arms into his signature pile drivers. At the same time, a small blue and purple F-22 Raptor also landed beside his comrade, transforming into robot mode as well, crying out, _"Frenzy's the name, and trouble's my game!"_ The second Mini-Con not only unleashed his signature sonic scream, but also fired several razor-sharp discs in the direction of his opponents, who were quick to take cover. For what the native wildlife knew, the forest is no longer a save haven.

Taking cover along side his comrades, Blurr quickly fired a few retaliatory shots while at the same time blocking his audio receptors. "I seriously doubt that was part of our plan!"

"Tell me about it!" Added Smokescreen, who powerlinked with Liftor so he could provide assistance. "Did Soundwave send his minions along just to keep us from interfering?"

"I guess that would be one of Megatron's stages he provided for use – no doubt to prevent from assisting Optimus. Trailbreaker, have you found any residue warp energy yet?" As Wipeout asked the question, the tree he was hiding behind was shredded to pieces like slabs of beef, forcing the Comanche to seek somewhere else. The barrels of the Laser Vulcan Cannon were in a sorry state as one of Frenzy's discs severed them quite badly. At the same time, Trailbreaker was quick to lock on to the signature.

_"I've got it! A faint trace of transwarp energy, yes. I don't know who was sucked it, but maybe we can provide some assistance!"_

"You two go ahead!" Blurr hollered out, managing to score a hit on Frenzy while doing so. "We'll take care of these two clowns – see if you can assist Optimus on the double!" With a nod of acknowledgement, Wipeout quickly allowed Trailbreaker to powerlink with himself, as they headed over to the spot. As soon as they vanished from view, Blurr and Smokescreen hoped their cover fire would buy enough time so not only they rid themselves of the two attacking Mini-Cons, but also to head over to their leader as soon as possible.

…

Somewhere in the icy landscape of Antarctica, Hot Shot made his arrival known. He was hoping to catch up with Optimus, Rad, and Fred so he could provide cover fire against whatever Megatron was planning. However, being stranded wasn't expected of the youngster, and now he was wondering where in Primus was he. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he was quick to call out, "CAN YOU HEAR ME OPTIMUS?"

There was no answer, except the echo that followed his phrase. Needless to say, he was not having a good day so far – and hopefully, according to Hot Shot, it couldn't get any worse as it is.

Until you count Slazer and Spystreak making their move to attack.

…

It was sometime before Tomoyo began to wake up. At first, she thought she was back home in Japan, resting peacefully without a disturbance. However, with Sunstreaker prodding her awake, something was definitely wrong as she opened her eyes. The first thing that greeted her sight was some yellowish-green grass, as she was able to shakily stand up.

"W-where are we?" The Japanese warily asked as she looked around. Making sense of the topography, it seems they are no longer in America, and at the same time, everything turned out to be quite dark.

Both the Mini-Con and her partner were transported somewhere in the savannah – tall grass surrounding them, and with its current state, the grasslands and savannah had the air of semi-aridity. In one direction where the duo is, there were two rivers, namely the Athi and Tsavo Rivers, which merged into the Galana River. There were also a few trees that scattered around this area, which would be suitable for whatever wildlife was living there. The reason why it was dark was clear – compared to America, they are in a different time zone, so it was nighttime.

After an analysis of the area, Sunstreaker was quick to make out the location. _"My scanners indicate we're in Africa. Namely, the Tsavo East National Park."_

"Tsavo? Isn't that the place involving the legend of the man-eating lions?"

_"Well, according to online sources I had a look at previously, though they may have been slaughtered, there might be more creatures out there as well,"_ The Mini-Con was still trying to make use of the topography while at the same time trying to establish communications, to which she had no success so far._ "Crud! I still can't contact the others – whatever just transpired, I highly doubt it was our doing!"_

"Decepticons and Predacons, maybe?" Tomoyo inquired. For the time being, she couldn't help but be worried that they got caught up Megatron's latest plan. With the night air nipping at her skin, she was quick to hold her arms for warmth.

"That could be it. For now, we better find a tree, a mountain or whatever communications we can find for better contact and safety. I see a trail that we could use to help us, and I hope my tracking beacon works for assistance. I just can't believe we wound up being sucked into this mess!"

But what Sunstreaker and Tomoyo were unaware of, they are about to have more worries than just the natural carnivores and the buzzing pests in the landscape. Neither of them noticed a quiet shadow stalking them within the elephant grass, its red optics glowing dangerously out of the darkness.

"It's not your fault, Sunstreaker – I didn't expect something like that to happen so quickly as well. But you're right, we better get moving. I was thinking about visiting Africa sometime ago, but so far at night this place seems to give me the creeps!" Managing to keep herself warm for now, thanks to her companion's in-built heater, Tomoyo then hopped on now that Sunstreaker transformed into her vehicle mode.

However, the duo had only just rode a few metres along the trail when there was a sudden rustle in the elephant grass beside them.

_"Tomoyo, what's wrong?"_

A worried expression is now on the girl's face as she turned around. "I thought I'd heard something… a Mini-Con, maybe? Sunstreaker, can you detect what's out there?"

Normally most Cybertronians can detect any nearby units via radar, though in this case, Sunstreaker somehow wasn't able to trace whatever is within their vicinity. _"The radar isn't picking up anything on screen. Must have been… WATCH OUT!"_

With a screech of tires, the Future Stunt Motorcycle quickly rocketed off, with Tomoyo hanging on for dear life. If they waited too long, a couple of missiles that were fired at them would have blown the duo away or scattered their remains over a wide area.

Yelling, Tomoyo quickly covered her eyes just as the dust swarmed around her. It was then when she saw the culprit she couldn't help but gasp out in shock, "I thought that black jaguars or panthers existed in South America, do they?"

"They do," Shouted the Motorcycle now in English, "but Ravage's case, he doesn't! No wonder why I couldn't detect him – he has the night and stealth on his side!" Picking up enough speed, she hope that she could get her companion away fast enough so they could avoid the said robotic black jaguar, who was now in pursuit. His optics was already glowing in their brimstone, instinctive focus, with his metal teeth already glowing via the moon's lunar light. What he was doing, they had no idea, and now they were in a situation with nearly zero percent of assistance!

As they managed to get enough distance, a realisation quickly appeared in Sunstreaker's processor – could Soundwave and his minions be the key players to whatever plan Megatron's cooked up? Unfortunately she wasn't able to think further as suddenly a missile sent the duo flying, and worse of all, the package Tomoyo bought was now between them and an incoming Ravage!

"No… the package!" The girl cried out, and caution tossed aside, she quickly scrambled to retrieve it before the Decepticon jaguar closed the gap. Despite Sunstreaker calling her to come back while firing her photon cannons at the cat at the same time, Tomoyo was able to get her hands on the package. However, to her horror, not only her Mini-Con was sent flying backward from a missile shot, she saw that she inadvertently became the target! _Someone… someone please help me! _With Ravage's jaws nearly inches away, the girl quickly closed her eyes, waiting for her premature end to come. However… it never came…

As suddenly a familiar voice drawl out, "Someone call the veterinarian for a neutering appointment?" Opening her eyes, to Sunstreaker's relief and her joy, she saw that Wipeout was able to grab the killer feline by his tail, saving her in the process. With a growl, he then proceeded to angrily drop kick Ravage over a few Cybertronian yards away, ending his pursuit once and for all.

For a moment Tomoyo's emotions were in a combination of relief and worry, as she was nearly mauled but a fellow Autobot was able to rescue her. Then she noticed a grim expression on Wipeout's face, and it was worry that was her main emotion for the time being.

"You aren't hurt are you, Tomoyo, Sunstreaker?" The commando asked, as he crouched down on his knees. Trailbreaker was able to get Sunstreaker back on her feet.

"I… I'm okay… I think," Tomoyo stammered, blushing as she managed to stand up. "I don't know what to say…"

"We'll get back to that later on. Was that package more important than your life? You could have been killed if anyone of us wasn't here!"

Downcast, the girl now had a sinking feeling in her heart. The chance to repay her saviour, and this is how it turned out? Now at the moment, she felt even worse about what transpired today, as she then hesitantly spoke out, "I'm sorry… it's just… there was something very important about that package that made me run back to get it…"

It was enough to pacify Wipeout's spark, as slowly, he picked her up to optic level. "Under normal circumstances there could have been a court-marshal if you weren't a civilian. But… it's okay – I couldn't help but worry about your life ever since when we first faced off against Tarantulas and Waspinator, and after I got possessed by that arachnid's cerebro-shell it's enough for me to fret a lot more. If we make this out alive, like I said, we'll talk about the rest later."

_"But for now, we still have to find a way to get back to base,"_ Sunstreaker requested, as she managed to stand up by herself. _"Could somebody please explain to us what's going on?"_

"If I recall correctly," began Wipeout after gently placing Tomoyo to the ground, "I'm sure you and Tomoyo received a call from the rest of the kids involving the Mini-Cons from the Moon base. According to the Street Action Mini-Cons along with REV and Jazz, they received contact from the aforementioned Mini-Cons, who apparently wanted to join them for peace. But if I know Megatron, this must be part of his trap, sort of like a divide-and-conquer-type plan, with Soundwave's cronies assisting on the interference. Somehow, we must have wound up in some sort of warpgate-minefield. Either way, he's either going after some of our Mini-Cons, or he's luring Optimus alone just to finish him off!"

_"Then what are we waiting for?"_ Sunstreaker crowed out, _"I'd say we assist Optimus ASAP!"_

"Unfortunately we still have a problem with communications – there seems to be interference at the moment. However…" Wipeout trailed before transforming into vehicle mode. "You guys better get in – I'll see if I can track Optimus along with Laserbeak's signals, and hope Rad and Fred's with them! And hopefully, the others will be okay once they make it too!"

A few minutes after they took off to the night sky, Tomoyo suddenly had a thought. If, despite the fact that Megatron used the Mini-Cons to spring the trap on Optimus and co, there might be some Mini-Cons who would truly want peace. However, thinking back, she couldn't help but think that not all Mini-Cons wanted peace, for example, the Night Attack Team Rad and Alexis told her and their friends about when they returned from the Flying Island.

"Is something up, Tomoyo?" Wipeout asked, as his face appeared on the communications view screen of his cockpit.

"I just wanted to ask you something, Wipeout. About the Mini-Cons… even though some are currently on Decepticon/Predacon side, do they want peace?"

"Hm… it's rather difficult to say. All I remembered Optimus telling us sometime ago was that Megatron has quite the iron grip on the Mini-Cons. It may not be easy trying to get them on our side, and particularly some of the Mini-Cons regard Megatron as a father figure of sorts. There might be some Mini-Cons who whose ideals might match that of the Decepticons and Predacons, which include Scattor's cohort. But according to our human wards, there might be a chance the majority of the Mini-Cons would want peace. Perhaps Tomoyo, just perhaps, Fred's theory will be right – we just have to have a little faith in him."

That was able to bring back a smile on Tomoyo's face as a sign of relief. "Aw… I believe it too! Even though he's always hungry, he's got a good heart – I like that," A signal however, interrupted her as it was suddenly pinpointed on radar. "I just hope we can reach them in time." With that in mind, the quartet quickly flew into the night, disappearing via stealth mode, and with as much speed as Wipeout can muster.

…

The desert sands of the Sahara may wind up in Megatron's joints, but he did not care one bit about it. All he cared about was the moment is finally destroying his long-time adversary and claiming the ultimate power to conquer the universe. Now all he needed now was the final phase of his plan to come to fruition, as he and the rest of the accompanying Mini-Cons warped into that very region. Of course, for him it would have been better if he were armed with the Dark Saber right now.

"Now… let's complete the plan," he crowed, the Star Saber at ready. A few Mini-Cons like Backtrack and Oval were about to run off, but the blade of the said weapon was forcibly sunk in front of them, causing them to watch in fear. "Don't even think about deserting me. You better drop those foolish ideas from your database, or I'll use the Star Saber to slice each one of you in half. As long as you remember that, we'll get along just fine."

He was too busy laughing to notice Mega-Octane still seething in silent rage, despite pretending to go along with the plan. _Like hell we'll get along, Mega-douche. _As he did so, he noticed both the Destruction and the Night Attack Teams standing guard, and finalising over their attack plans. Sensing a trio of familiar energy signatures, he couldn't help but grimly add; _I just hope Optimus and the little guys don't die on us! _

Focusing his optics on the target, the Autobot Commander dourly confirmed, "Megatron has done it."

"What do you mean?" Rad asked.

"He's divided the Autobots and now intends on conquering us! Though Tusklaw and Aura are back at the base, I can't help but wonder if reinforcements are out of range now!"

"No way!" Like Fred, Rad couldn't believe that they were sucked in, and now that they were on their own.

"Look over there. Megatron already has his Mini-Con troops in place." As the trio's fears are confirmed, they saw the Mini-Cons' weaponry already cocked, aimed and ready to fire at will.

"So it was a trap!" Fred hollered, "he's got us for sure and I still haven't had my lunch!"

And anticipating the worst, Optimus couldn't help but bleakly reply, "I'm afraid you're right, Fred."

"Attack!" Megatron roared out, but only the Destruction and Night Attack teams seem to be willing. That caused the Decepticon to growl out in return, "Go on, I gave you an order to attack them!" With Leader-1 forcibly ordered to fire on them, the Mini-Con ground forces had no other choice but comply.

With firepower flying in their direction, Optimus saw that he has to protect the kids, and began retaliating with his own wrist-mounted cannons in return. He hasn't disabled the Mini-Cons yet, but so far he was able to prevent them from landing any shots. As if the kids' nearly falling to certain doom wasn't bad enough – Megatron's plan was nearly bound to succeed, and for now there was no alternate solution that crossed his processor as the kids were still in the firing line.

_At this rate_, Fred thought in a panic, _if we don't do something soon we're all doomed! _"Optimus! Please don't fire on those Mini-Cons!"

"They're trying to…" bellowed Optimus, but Fred has yet to finish his plea.

"They're not! There's not way the Mini-Cons would do this on their own!"

Now it was Rad's turn to contribute to the persuasion. "Optimus, please listen to us!" Something in Optimus caused him to lower his armaments, so he could listen to what his friend had to say. "I know it's hard to believe, but those Mini-Cons don't want to fight you! They sent us a message! They're on the level, and they want peace! Honest! You have got to trust us!"

So far in the bulk of the battles the Autobots and Maximals faced back on Cybertron, they never had other species involved in case they were dragged along with their escalating war. In the case of the aftermath of one of the previous battles, despite obtaining the Skyboom Shield, the Decepticons and Predacons still carried the Star Saber, along with the fact that some of the opposing Mini-Cons having differing ideals, which was why Optimus was reluctant to allow the children to accompany him and his men into battle.

But at the same time, Rad's words had a point. Maybe Optimus has been a bit overanxious – he has a reason considering the Cybertronians were almost revealed to the world in their previous misadventure. _Maybe, _he thought, _I should trust the kids more – but for now, their safety is their priority right now! _

"I want you two to make a run for it when I give you the signal!" he ordered despite the wards' protests, when suddenly, to the trio's astonishment, the opposing barrage stopped. For a moment, Rad and Fred thought that the Mini-Cons decided to finally join up. But their joy turned to horror as the enemy Mini-Cons opened fire again, now that they're at a closer range! Megatron forced them to lure the enemy into a false sense of security once more!

As every laser showered on the battlefield, there was only one remaining option that the Autobot Commander took. "Get moving!" Not willing to get blasted, Rad and Fred quickly ran out of the combat zone and into minimum safe distance, as fast as their legs can take them. Finally seeing that the children were out of harm's way, Optimus decided to try one more initiative – as long as he continued firing at the Mini-Cons – the battle will be lost. Lowering his arms, he slowly began walking towards the attacking Mini-Cons, regardless of the incoming laser fire that pelted in his direction.

"What's he doing?" Fred exclaimed in horror after he and Rad stopped running. "They're going to blast him into pieces!"

Rad's look turned into sorrow as he realised what Optimus was going to do. "He's… just trying to protect us…"

"Why does he have to do it this way?" The other boy asked sadly, thinking about the events that lead to this moment so far.

But he didn't have time to think anymore as suddenly Rad yelled out, "Oh no! He won't stop!"

_I don't know if Fred and Rad are right, but this is the only way I'm going to know if I'm going to trust these Mini-Cons, _Optimus thought, as he spread his arms wide, still not retaliating against the hail of fire. Ignoring the pain that slowly appeared within his circuits, he continued marching on, ignoring whatever taunts Megatron mouthed out at him. The Decepticon Commander couldn't believe it – his rival deciding to go with a weak-willed tactic like no firing back just to gain the trust of pawns like the Mini-Cons. When it came to powerful tools like the Mini-Cons, Megatron would often think, it must be shackled, reined, broken, and then unleashed!

"What do you think you're doing, Optimus Prime?" laughed out Megatron, taunting his adversary as he did so, "are you going to sacrifice yourself on the Star Saber?" At that moment, the Mini-Cons suddenly stopped firing, some taking into consideration of what was happening so far. Nonetheless, like any typical tyrant, Megatron disapproved of that action.

"I never ordered you to stop the attack, did I! Fire until he's buried to the ground!" With no other choice, the Mini-Cons, reluctantly resumed their bombardment.

Taking punishment was nothing new to Optimus, even though one of Scattor's nine missiles caused him to fall on his knees. Normally, drawing firepower to oneself is suicidal without a reason – but as painful as it is, he had to gain the trust and the respect of the Mini-Cons. The tiny Transformers are more than just tools – they were sentient beings as well, and freedom is the right of all sentient beings, as he constantly reminded himself and his men time and time again. His armour now sported multiple signs of battle-damage, and he was now limping, but he still refused to neither return fire nor stop walking towards them. Giving up was that last thing that would have entered the leader CPU, as he had to stay strong for the boys and the Mini-Cons.

Once again, Megatron only saw the fallacy of Optimus's tactic, deciding to let loose another taunt while stomping towards him. "What a joke. You're still refusing to shoot back at these pathetic Mini-Cons. You know what your problem is, Optimus, you're soft! Good riddance!" Still, the Prime refused to give up, even as Buzzsaw scored a direct hit to the chestplate.

Watching the battle on in sadness, a part of him started to cave inside Fred, as he hugged Rad in sorrow. "Why is he doing this? I can't watch this anymore..."

Patting his friend in comfort, Rad reassured, "I know Optimus believes what we said about these Mini-Cons. Come on. Hang in there, Fred."

"We were wrong. And Optimus can't take much more of that weapons fire. They won't let up on him!"

"It's not over yet!"

Another shot, much stronger than the rest, managed to cause Optimus to cry out in pain. That was enough for Wreckage to cry out, _"Hold your fire! That's enough!"_

_"If you think not finishing off Prime's gonna earn you some brownie points – then you're more thoroughly brainwashed than I realised!"_ Dualor snapped, not willing to allow his hatred of Optimus Prime to be quelled. Inside however, because he is a staunch believer in Mini-Con independence, he loathed all bulks, be they Decepticon, Predacon, Maximal, or Autobot. But he didn't allow his hate for the Decepticons to show fully as he then asked Megatron what he wanted to do next.

"What is it?" The Decepticon Commander inquired, as he carefully interpreted Dualor's words. "Oooh, you want me to finish him off. You've learned a lot from me. Well I suspect this'll be the perfect ending to a perfect day."

Rad was just calling Optimus to get up when suddenly Alexis's voice sounds from Laserbeak's speakers. "Come in, Rad!"

"Alexis?"

"Finally, we got through! Something or someone has been jamming our communications all day!"

"Listen up! Optimus is in big trouble!" Knowing the situation, all Rad knew is that they are going to need all the reinforcements necessary.

At the Autobot/Maximal base, one look at what come to light was enough for Alexis to cry out, "They so need our help!" Aura, who managed to break through the jamming signal, was now able quickly contact the scattered forces.

…

"I've finally locked onto Megatron's signal!" Demolishor exclaimed, after Soundwave was able to remove the interfering frequency.

"Goodie!" Cyclonus cackled in excitement, while pounding his fists together, "then it's time to go bash some Autobots and Maximals!"

"No! We're supposed to wait here until we get the order to move out!"

Little did Demolishor and the others knew the battle is about to take an unexpected turn.

…

"Don't listen to Megatron! You don't have to fight anymore!" Despite the mech fluid flowing from some of his grievous wounds, Optimus hoped his plea would finally be able to open up the Mini-Cons' optics.

"Can't you think of anything better to say for your last words? Alright then, I'll finish you off quickly so I don't have to listen to your pathetic speeches!" Already, the gloating Megatron prepared himself in a fighting stance while at the same time Optimus prepared for the worst. As the Decepticon leader came charging, the Autobot commander remembered something – while Rattrap from the Maximals often moaned about dying, Rhinox would often mention that while death happens, miracles happen too. And a quick glance with one Mini-Con, Mega-Octane giving the Cybertronian equivalent of the human wink, made Optimus realise that he was about to receive the miracle he needed.

What this miracle needed is one single word… and with a turn towards his team…

_"NOW!"_ Mega-Octane shouted, finally letting slip the dogs of war. With that, he fired his signature missile at the incoming Decepticon leader, the projectile making contact with the chest armour. Following suit, the mass of the Mini-Cons also let loose their own firepower, knocking the now-shocked tyrant off balance.

"WHAT IS THIS!" Megatron shouted bewilderedly as his rear landed heavily onto the ground. As with most oppressors of the weak, they just never learn when the weak actually got the guts to fight back.

"That's it!" Optimus exclaimed in delight. However, his joy would be cut short as all of a sudden, Scattor coolly aimed his missile launcher directly at the Autobot himself.

_"That would be enough, Optimus Prime. Did you really think all of us would be convinced by your words of sugarcoated goodness? I think not!"_ But in return, Mega-Octane aimed his own weapon at the Night Attack leader, which caused a Mexican standoff between the Destruction/Night Attack and the rest of the Mini-Cons.

_"Optimus is only doing what's right. Do you really want this war to continue, and be forever bound by a tyrant like Megatron? What happened to the teachings I told you about long ago long after we first came online?"_

The Night Attack Mini-Con chuckled, or what sounded like the Mini-Con equivalent of that said action. _"I left them back on Cybertron old-timer – before we went planet hopping for profit, glory and fun! At least Megatron allows us to indulge on such – what do you call them? Oh yeah – chaotic tendencies!"_ By that moment, Megatron was able to stand back onto his own feet, Star Saber still in hand and aimed at Mega-Octane and his cohorts.

"Somehow Mega-Octane, I knew deep inside you were planning your little coup d'état – considering studying your little history in advance. It really is a shame considering I was hoping you'd inspire our troops, but oh well, I guess some cycles in the Punishment Cube would remind you who's in charge. After all, you're just a Mini-Con."

_"A Mini-Con with enough common sense, Megatron. If you had your way, the universe would be no more a long time ago – no more planets to visit, no resources, no otherworldly races, none whatsoever! Optimus has a good reason to have the guts to stand in your way, and I'm going to make sure he lives to kick your skidplate, even if I go offline in the process!"_ The accompanying Mini-Cons nodded in agreement, as they also stood their ground along side their strong-willed comrade-in-arms.

Even though not all of the Mini-Cons sided with Optimus Prime, a flicker of hope whelmed inside Fred's heart. "All right! They did it! The Mini-Cons are going to save Optimus!"

"Didn't I tell you Fred?" Rad grinned in agreement. Then he turned his attention back to the battlefield. "But we have to save Optimus somehow!"

Unbeknownst to Rad, help was already on his way, earlier than expected. And all it began was a couple of Hellfire missiles striking the ground between Optimus and Megatron, which instead of an explosion, a smokescreen began to disorientate the battlefield. This gave Mega-Octane's faction not only the chance to let loose their own firepower in order to scatter the renegade Mini-Cons and run over to Optimus' side, but to give the Autobot Commander time to recover in the confusion so he could fire back at Megatron.

"Come down to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs…" Wipeout chuckled in vehicle mode as he, the girl, and their Mini-Cons arrived at the scene. Since the Comanche's Vulcan Cannon was damaged due to Frenzy's onslaught, he had to resort to other means. "That's some good shooting, Tomoyo. When did you learn to do that?"

"After watching and playing with the others on some of the shooting games, I might give that a try to see what it's like in real life! Optimus, Rad, Fred! Are you guys alright?"

"Hey, thanks for the save!" Fred yelled enthusiastically, before his expression changed after seeing something come out of the smokescreen. "Watch out!" Thanks to the warning, Wipeout quickly shifted back as a now enraged Megatron made his move to slash the helicopter out of the sky. Considering the last time his face got riddled with laser holes, the Decepticon General this time activated his face shield, but Optimus and the others was still able to distract him, the Destruction and the Night Attack Teams.

Much to their despair, Rad still realised another team that needed to be freed. "Oh no! He's still got the Star Saber!" Just as Wipeout managed to get his occupants to safety by reuniting with the boys, multiple signals appeared on the radar screen. This time, the rest of the Autobots and Maximals charged into the scene at last!

"Sounds like we're not having a few laughs – we're having a lot of laughs!" Sunstreaker whooped in glee, as Hot Shot zipped past them, transforming as he went.

_"Everyone, fire! Don't let them pass the Skyboom Shield!"_ Dualor ordered, but Wipeout already thought ahead as he transformed into robot mode.

"TRAILBREAKER – POWERLINK!" Once again, the 4WD linked up with his rotary shield, modifying it once again. Despite taking the brunt of the shots, it began to charge up rapidly, ion particles and bolts gathering around it, as Wipeout quickly anchored his feet to the ground. When the charge was complete, it was time to let it loose. "ION CROSS CANNON!"

A powerful, cross-shaped particle beam roared out towards the opposition, but since the Autobot had no intention of destroying the Mini-Cons, he aimed it so it would send them flying instead, and with Megatron forced to block the beam. That gave Smokescreen the chance to launch the Skyboom Shield via his Long-Arm Cannon, passing the Mini-Con weapon to Hot Shot. Charging at Megatron, the Autobot youngster was able to block the warlord's attack long enough for the Autobots and Maximals to surround him, all weapons armed and ready.

Megatron was at a tactical disadvantage. His remaining Mini-Con minions were taken out, the majority having sided with his main enemy, and despite having one of the most powerful weapons he was surrounded and alone. Even if his forces are online, he had a suspicion that powerlinking with the Destruction team would be a big mistake and all of a sudden, Demolishor's voice sounded via communications. "Megatron sir, are you alright? I'm sorry it took so long to repair our transmission equipment…"

Already, the Decepticon General snarled out, "I'll be back…" as he quickly scooped up the Destruction and Night Attack Mini-Cons, and warped away. For now, the battle has been won!

…

The CR Chambers may be some of the most versatile machines in Cybertronian technology, but there can be the occasion it would miss even the tiniest of details. That is what Red Alert is for – a medic with impressive cognitive abilities to detect and at times fix the most critical problem in a machine, whether in an Autobot, Maximal, or even a Mini-Con. Along with his partner Longarm, they make quite the team, and after an intense battle with Megatron, Optimus Prime was glad to have the duo in his team.

As his systems are slowly recovering and coming back online, Optimus witnessed many joyous events that resulted from the mission – Tomoyo reunited with her human friends, along with Sunstreaker and her Future Stunt Mini-Con comrades. Mega-Octane also met up with one of the old members of his regiment, Blitzwing, and with Backtrack and Oval meeting up with their leader Spiral, the Super Speed Team is back together again. Also, secondary repairs and recovery stages were made, thanks to Tusklaw as well. Despite his earlier statement on not involving the Mini-Cons and the children on the mission, it looks like he had to remake it. At the same time, he also realised something concerning the Mini-Cons that was important. And the time to tell them to every soul and spark is now as the last of the repairs Red Alert made was completed right on schedule.

"You're back – alright!" exclaimed Fred happily, now that the Autobot Commander is back to full strength.

"Thanks to you."

"You mean you believed what we said the whole time?" Rad added, feeling secure with the danger now passed.

Nodding, Optimus knew he had to confirm one lesson best learnt. "I wouldn't be much of a leader if I didn't listen to the advice of some of the most trusted friends and comrades now, would I?"

"Really?" Although they weren't sure, both Rad and Fred felt relief that the commander's faith in them wasn't broken, which was evidenced when Fred started crying.

With a sense of optimism, Carlos managed to lighten up the situation a little bit, asking eagerly, "That's great – but does that mean we're a team again?"

"It sure does – now that the mystery is solved…" Including Alexis, everybody wanted to know what Prime meant, and so he began to explain the mystery.

"When the Skyboom Shield and the Star Saber slammed into each other, an incredible amount of energy was released. I know now it was the screams of the Mini-Cons who were forced to fight a battle they didn't like."

Immediately, Alexis's face clouded with grief. "Those poor Mini-Cons!" With that reply, the Mini-Cons beeped in agreement.

Normally, Bladestriker kept quiet about these kinds of situations, but there are moments she decided to voice her views as well. "That would be so, Prime. That might imply on the Mini-Con Flying Island incident as well when that beam was fired after the landmark was destroyed."

That remark caused Optimus to nod in agreement, before turning to the rest of the team. "The Mini-Cons sacrificed themselves – now we must liberate them all!"

"I agree," Smokescreen added, "and we'll need everyone in this room's help to do it! And that includes you kids as well!" Everyone cheered in agreement – no matter what standing, the humans, Autobots, Maximals, and even Mini-Cons have to work together to end the war.

Red Alert also decided to mention one more round of opinion to the children. "Please understand. We never wanted to leave you kids out of everything; we just worry about your safety. We'll need your help if you're still willing to help us."

"Sure!" Rad cheerfully replied, his determination strong, "we'll do anything to help out a friend!" For whatever the situation, there is often a way to turn a near defeat into a victory – and the Autobots, Maximals and their smaller allies would need it in the many cycles to come.

…

Walking by himself along the halls of Autobot/Maximal HQ, Wipeout felt it was going to be slightly empty – even though the commando was used to working alone on occasions. As he performed his final checks on his now-repaired Laser Vulcan Cannon, he thought back about what become apparent during the meeting and why it was going to be empty.

The first part came when Bladestriker mentioned on Aura's performance during the time Optimus, Rad, Fred, and a few Autobots were sent on the wild ride through Megatron's warpgate-minefield. Although the assassin didn't want to admit it at first, she saw that the Phoenix Maximal was able to perform her job as a hacker with a calm and decisive action, while assisting Alexis. Further comments include that if Aura were able to perform well in the same manner as her combat training (combined with her inner fighting potential a few battles ago), in her words, she would be able to shine gloriously. Hence it was necessary for a relocation of training grounds, preferably in a remote location somewhere on Earth – mainly where no unauthorised contacts, Decepticon, Predacon, or human – would be able to stumble upon it. While being in a remote location for a certain amount of time could give the team some disadvantages due to the loss of additional flight and stealth capabilities, it was necessary in case of the chances of over relying on one dangerous warrior to win a war – the Decepticons and Predacons could wind up forming a counterstrategy as a result.

The second part was when Land Military Team leader Wreckage announcing that he and his team will be departing in order to further cover more ground, and to help locate the rest of their brethren. Despite not permanently siding with a faction, with the escalating war and the last mission nearly terminating Optimus, the twin-missile tank Mini-Con has his principles after all – he would have to pick a side and soon. Even with the kids' reluctance (and originally declaring themselves free agents upon arriving on Earth a million years ago), Wreckage was impressed enough to lend a helping hand, especially after witnessing Rad and Fred's courage to convince Optimus not to shoot back at the Mini-Cons. With Optimus' permission, along with some stealth equipment courtesy of Blitzwing and Trailbreaker, the Land Military Mini-Con Team prepared for departure, to anywhere across the globe. In addition, they also received a message from another team of Mini-Cons called the Super Stunt Mini-Con Team, consisting of Servo, Flat-Out, and Redline (along with a human, Stella Holley), who requested for assistance in their fight to retrieve their friends as well. To prevent the Decepticons and Predacons from finding out, they only mentioned this fact to Optimus before they left. Both Optimus and Mega-Octane (the latter, who knew of Wreckage's intents before arriving on Earth) understood their wishes, and allowed them off just in case.

As Wipeout placed his Vulcan Cannon away for storage, his thoughts were interrupted by a calming, musical tune through the hallways. If he was not mistaken, it was coming from the human children's recreational room – as for the moment the children went home for the day. Only one human would have talent playing music this beautiful, and as Wipeout took a peak around the entrance, he saw Tomoyo, playing peacefully on a piano Red Alert, Longarm and Carlos salvaged and refurbished two solar cycles (days) ago.

_"If my memory serves me correctly, Tomoyo told me this piece is called 'Jesus Bleibet Meine Freunde', by Johann Sebastian Bach."_ Said Sunstreaker in her own language, quietly watching on as well.

"So I hear," Wipeout smiled as he listened to the beautiful melody fill the base, "it's quite… relaxing. It's the first time I ever heard something like this on Earth. Does she play this music often?"

The gold Mini-Con nodded. _"Usually such activities like this would be done as a sort of way for to soothe what the humans call, a heart. If Tomoyo's not with the others when they just left for home, I think something must be on her mind at the moment."_

"Did you think her reaction after her rescue and her behaviour when the Land Military Team left was what she's thinking at the moment?" For some reason, Tomoyo was unusually quiet during Optimus' meeting.

_"That may be so, also with the fact after her sister… you know. Maybe you should talk and listen to her after she's done – the answer why she risked her life for that package can be found."_

It was some time ago when Sunstreaker told the Comanche Autobot about the Japanese girl's family situation, and it was good enough for a little quality time to be spent. After the girl stopped playing momentarily; Wipeout steeled himself a little, his fist tapping on the doorway gently. "Tomoyo – you got a minute?"

Turning her head towards the doorway, a light smile appeared on the said girl's face. "Wipeout! Were you listening?"

"I was – that was quite a beautiful tune you were playing just now. Apart from a few bars, this is the first time I heard this since being on Earth."

"It's one of my favourites – Maron-neechan taught me that one after obtaining a musical scorebook. It usually helps to soothe my nerves a bit."

Despite Wipeout's face turning into that of concern and remorse after the mission, he knew what he was here for. "Are you okay, Tomoyo? I'm guessing there's a reason why you're playing at this time while the other kids have just left the base." It was then the girl's face looked somewhat downcast.

"I'm not sure what to say… you ever get the feeling when after someone's done something big, but not sure how to repay them?"

"So… what do you want to say?" questioned Wipeout, as he sat down next to her. In response, Tomoyo slowly took a deep breath before speaking out.

"I just... originally I was to go to America to try to regain my language skills back. That is, until I met you guys, and my life changed. Ever since you managed to save me, the first time when I met with you and Sunstreaker, a part of me wanted to do something to help out as a repayment. Something important to help you in this war, to save the Mini-Cons and Earth so I wouldn't be a hindrance. But… have I actually been doing anything to help? The more I think about these things… the more I worry that lately I seem to do more harm than good when I try to help out." A slow trickle of tears started to seep from her eyes. "I know it's dangerous… but I don't want to return home without doing something important as a thank you for saving my life."

_So that's why whatever was in that package made Tomoyo run back to get it, _Wipeout thought, _it must have been something that would have helped us. Still…_

"Hmm… you know, right away there's no need to contribute something really big to this war right away," the Comanche gently advised, as Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker made themselves known. "When I first joined the Autobots, I had to wind up doing the menial tasks – clean up the Energon smelters; transport supplies to various warehouses, pretty much the equivalent to what you humans do when you first start a new job. It was boring, but it was what's required on the first day of the job. Still – before you decide to run your mouth off like that… do you remember moments in which you played a part? You and Sunstreaker convinced me not to give up hope when Shatterbelt was turned over to the Decepticons. That is a moment I'm happy about."

_"Let's not forget the time your plea was also able to awaken Perceptor's Battle Mode in the process too!"_ Sunstreaker added, with Trailbreaker nodding in agreement.

Slowly, a small smile gently returned along with a raise to Tomoyo's demeanour. A part of her also remembered as one of the volunteers helping to evacuate Mini-Cons when Tarantulas took control of the Flying Island. "Thank you for reminding me greatly. But how was Shatterbelt?"

"Still his arrogant self lately – or not," Wipeout sighed, "considering what I've told him. An old friend of mine was able to send a chip containing a copy of his old memories, which I could use to restore his original self. After some trade of words, he was convinced to find out his old memories on his own, without the use of the chip. I just hope he'd be able to tread carefully without blowing his future to kingdom come, especially in this escalating war."

All of a sudden, Tomoyo was reminded of something, glancing as she pulled out a package beside her, bound in gift wrapping, despite the wear and tear.

"Here… it wasn't just the lesson that held me back…" she stammered, blushing as she handed the gift to the Comanche Autobot. "Sunstreaker and I went to a nearby store to buy something that could help you. I… I hope you like it!" Despite the gift being dwarfed by Wipeout's hand, he accepted the gift.

_"Maybe I can help open it."_ Trailbreaker affirmed, as his and Sunstreaker's hands were just equal in size to a human. Carefully, they unravelled the present, and despite the battering, the three Cybertronians became pleasantly surprised. Inside the package were three hardcover books – one titled by Sun Tzu, called 'The Art of War'. The second book was 'The Evolution of Strategy: Thinking War from Antiquity to the Present'. Finally, the third book was titled 'World's Greatest Military Strategies'.

Of course, none were more pleased than Wipeout, who finally realised the reason Tomoyo went to such measures to safeguard it. "They're beautiful… this is one of the best gifts I have ever received in my lifetime. Thank you." His response was enough to lift the Japanese girl's spirits greatly.

"I'm glad. I just thought they would be a way to help you improve in our battles, and so I thought I'd share some of Earth's military history to you. Makimachi-sensei suggested getting you a present, and that's why Sunstreaker and I got it for you. And… also why it was important to me to when Ravage… you know…"

"You know," The Comanche sighed exasperatedly, "while objects like books can be replaced, lives, including yours, can't be replaced just as easily. However, I'm happy that you thought of me too, and what matters is that we're alive today. Just don't do anything reckless in the future, okay?"

A nod was affirmed as a result. For all that is worth, Tomoyo, like many other the other human children, wanted to contribute as much as they can. "The war's still going to be dangerous, but I'll try to be careful. I'm sorry if the books are a bit small, since they are about as large as they get on Earth."

_"It's okay,"_ Trailbreaker confirmed, _"I'm sure we can find a way to download the information or expand the size of the books so it'll be easier to all of us to read, and make them a mech-sized edition. I'll see if Red Alert and Tusklaw can invent something that'll help."_ After giving the 4WD Mini-Con the books to store for safekeeping, Wipeout turned towards the girl.

"I'm happy to see that what the humans say, you're in high spirits again. But before you and Sunstreaker head back tonight… can I have a listen to one more of your tunes please? I'm curious to hear anymore wonderful tunes the humans have provided for this universe – especially from you, Tomoyo."

With a smile, the said girl returned to her piano. With Wipeout, Trailbreaker, and Sunstreaker gathered around, she stretched out her limbs as a preparation for her impromptu performance. "As a thank you for accepting the gift, and for saving my life, I will now perform 'Shooting Star ~Negai wo Komete~' by Gotou Saori-san. I hope you'll all enjoy it to your hearts, or sparks content."

As the afternoon made way into the evening, a beautiful melody and an equally serene voice resonated throughout the steel walls of the entire Autobot/Maximal Headquarters. In fact, it was so beautiful, many of its occupants within stopped to listen and relax to the tune, as it weaved its way within the stronghold. Tomorrow, the battle will continue, but for now… a temporary moment of peace, ignited by a beautiful concert, has just begun.

**(A/N: For the first time, I shall introduce you to something wonderful, hence this link – had to be typed in a way some bits wouldn't get cut out, my apologies:** http:/ www dot youtube dot com /watch?v=3H0Sxlcpubk **)**

_hi no ataru mado, yurameku minamo  
ima de wa mou, sepia iro da ne.  
dakedo hitomi wa, massugu no mama  
iro aseru koto wa nai_

_dakara watashi, tsuyoku shinjiru yume ni mukatteyukeru  
chikara ga aru no_

_I am wishing on the Shooting Star  
egaiteru ashita ni, motto motto chikazukemasu you ni  
kawari yuku sekai wo, ukeireta toki kara  
atarashii kazega fuki hajimeru  
kitto_

_negai wo komete..._

_yoru ni ukanda  
oki na canvas  
shiroi tameiki, mazete iru no  
namida wa yagate, ten ni nobotteku  
soshite, hoshi ga umareru_

_imakara demo kesshite osoku wa nai yo, yume ga aru nara  
aruiteyukeru,_

_I am wishing on the Shooting Star  
kumoma no kagayaki abite, takaku takaku jiyuu ni mau youni  
tatoe ame ni nuretemo, tatoe arashi ga kitemo  
kaze ni mi wo makasete toberu hazu  
kitto..._

_I am wishing on the Shooting Star  
egaiteru ashita ni, motto motto chikazukemasu you ni  
kawari yuku sekai wo, ukeireta toki kara  
atarashii kazega fuki hajimeru  
kitto_

_I am wishing on the Shooting Star  
daichi ni ikiru minna ni  
waratte kudaseru hi ga kimasu youni  
watashi wa koko ni iru, haruka toki wo koetemo  
watashi ni wa kaereru basho ga aru  
zutto..._

_negai wo, komete..._

_hitomi wo tojite..._

_To be continued… _

FG: Well, all I can say is this – I told you some bits from other media would show up! Hopefully, it would be worth your while, and just in case, I'll tell you about the additional characters and personalities.

The Super Stunt Mini-Con Team, along with human Stella Holley, came from the Linkage comic mini-series available only with each volume of the Micron Legend DVD series in Japan, retailed in 2003 through 2004. As the overview mentions, they fight to free the Mini-Cons from their dark creator, which you all know as Unicron. Additional detail mentioned that 'Linkage is notable for weaving a complex background and behind-the-scenes story for the Mini-Cons of the Armada cartoon, while working seamlessly within the bounds of the cartoon', so I thought I might as well reference part of a mini-series into the story, considering that many more Mini-Cons show up, especially the unnamed glowing green ones starting from the episode, 'Miracle'.

With Wreckage, I thought I might bring out a little bit more info about the Mini-Cons a bit more, with the said Land Military Mini-Con leader for example, especially his personality was mentioned in the now-bankrupt Dreamwave Productions Armada comic series. If you want any proof, go to tfwiki dot net to find out.

Finally, with Aura finally having a master assassin, a bit of training would be good. Besides, if I kept having Bladestriker assist in winning a majority of battles, it'll make the war boring otherwise, thus I'm keeping her as a Joker/Wild Card. Hence why I'm allowing her and Aura some distance from the base so the battles would be even for both sides somewhat. But what would be a good remote location for the Master and Student to train in? I think there will be a chapter involving their training in the future!

Well, that'll be it. I hope I managed to explain some things okay. If the VHS recordings I got are still good, I will once again see if I can continue on a chapter and update in much less time. I wouldn't guarantee, but I'll try.

This is Final Genesis, signing out!

P.S: No flames please, and read and review!


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